inspire(d) spring 2014
DESCRIPTION
Potter Dean Schwarz • DecorahDads.com • Boxed (IN): Viroqua, WI • Metamorphosis • Choose Your Adventure: Spring Music! • Chef Chad Elliott • Super Fly Paper Airplanes • The Hunt for Invasive Plants • Brunch!TRANSCRIPT
POSITIVE NEWS FROM THE DRIFTLESS REGION.DRIFTLESS MAGAZINE NO. 37 • Spring 2014
Inspire(d).free!
May your
spring be
POTTER DEAN SCHWARZ • DECORAHDADS.COM• BOXED (IN): VIROQUA, WI METAMORPHOSIS • CHOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE: SPRING MUSIC! • CHEF CHAD ELLIOTT
SUPER FLY PAPER AIRPLANES • THE HUNT FOR INVASIVE PLANTS • BRUNCH!
Pilot
Ridgeline
Civic
Crosstour
CR-Z
Odyssey
CR-V
Fit
Accord
Insight
www.hondamotorwerks.comPhone: 877-751-0179Check us out! Downtown La Crosse, WI at 4th and Cameron Streets
Fuel Efficient. Environmentally Sensible. You’ll Love More Miles Per Dollar!
03
...and more!
SPRING 2014contents
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014
BOXED (IN): VIROQUA, WISCONSIN
ChOOSE YOUR ADVENTURE: SpRINg MUSIC!
DECORAh DADS .COM
pApER pROjECT: SUpER flY AIRplANE
WhAT WE’RE lOVINg
pOTTER DEAN SChWARz
ChEf ChAD EllIOTT
TACklINg ThE INVASIVES
METAMORphOSIS
MISSISSIppI MIRTh: BRUNCh!
pROBIT: gENEVIEVE MARCEllA lANDSOM hOlTY
10
15
18
23
24
26
34
39
42
44
50
Pilot
Ridgeline
Civic
Crosstour
CR-Z
Odyssey
CR-V
Fit
Accord
Insight
www.hondamotorwerks.comPhone: 877-751-0179Check us out! Downtown La Crosse, WI at 4th and Cameron Streets
Fuel Efficient. Environmentally Sensible. You’ll Love More Miles Per Dollar! 23
42
26
ON ThE COVER: The original plan was to just have an awesome paper airplane on the cover, but we felt like there were so many more great things that needed to be represented...both for spring and for what we want to do with our magazine. So we split it up and ended up liking it even more. A big thanks to photographers Ellen Macdonald (flowers), Joyce Meyer (butterfly), and Harry Baumert (Schwarz pottery) for your contributions!
Center Stage Series 2013-14
Stunning Music and Dance Experience the beauty and bounty of great art this spring!
2013–14 Center Stage SponsorsSchool Performances Sponsor
Luther CollegeDiversity Council
Media SupportersGrants D ecorah N ewspapers
The
D ecorah N ewspapers The
SaturDay, MarCh 8Notes from the Balcony: Boston Brass & Enso String Quartet $24, $22, $15 tickets on sale February 14.
FriDay, MarCh 14River North Dance Chicago $27, $25, $15 tickets on sale February 20.
FriDay, apriL 4Philip GlassA rare opportunity to experience this influential composer$30, $28, $15 tickets on sale March 6.
Get your tickets! tickets.luther.edu (563) 387-1357 All shows start at 7:30 P.M. Center for Faith and Life Luther College, Decorah, Iowa
School Performance
Matinees All children and parents
are welcomeTickets just $2
FriDay, MarCh 14 11:30 A.M.river North
Dance Chicago presents
Street Beats: Dance through the Decades
thurSDay, MarCh 20 10 A.M. and 12:30 P.M.
Dallas Children’s theatre presents
Stuart Little
Special thanks to all of our performance and media sponsors for championing the arts in NE Iowa!
When I was little I used to go to work with my dad at his auto shop in Waukon. Some days I’d be entertained by the
office secretary, other days I would pound on the piano – loudly – to signal the neighboring business-owner that I wanted her to bring her son in to play… immediately! But mostly, I found my own fun. That’s probably where my love of car detailing was born, and also an unabashed adoration of paper airplanes. I flew SO MANY sweet planes across that big shop! Learn how to make your own Super Fly paper airplanes on page 23 - you can even download the template at theinspiredmedia.com!
(Sidenote: Dad used to give me a dime to walk down the street to buy a glazed donut. A dime! Ten cents! This is real life, people. And I swear I’m only 32 years old.)
Spring just has this feeling around it – like it’s time to fly, to, like a butterfly, crack out of your chrysalis and spread your wings. Cheesy, yes. But true.
We hope to help you in that endeavor. First, you can do a little research on butterflies. (pg. 39 – Holy moly, that Science is Super… Super crazy!) Then find yourself a little inspiration by reading about local artist Dean Schwarz and his amazing family and life story (pg. 26). We’re really excited that Kristine Jepsen sojourned out to South Bear near Decorah to learn more. Schwarz has an exhibit, “Marvin Cone On My Mind: The Ceramics of Dean Schwarz,” opening this spring at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, and it will be a fantastic opportunity to check out his latest work – he created 512 pots in this series! – and to view some of Marvin Cone’s right alongside it.
Once you’re thoroughly inspire(d), make some plans to get out of the house (it’ll be warm soon, right?) and take in the beautiful Driftless Region! From Viroqua, Wisconsin (pg. 10) to tons of live music up and down the bluffs (choose your own music adventure, pg. 15) to something as simple as a hike through a Decorah park.
While you’re on that hike, take note of the plants around you: On page 41 you can learn about three invasive species – garlic mustard, buckthorn, and honeysuckle – that area volunteers are working to eradicate. And they need the community’s help! Watch for early spring announcements for garlic mustard pulls,
The theme of community continued to come up while putting this magazine together – not that that’s unusual – but I found myself often struck by the ways people here in the Driftless Region help each other out. Decorah couple Andrew and Eric Ellingson are hoping someone in the community, region – anywhere in the US, really – will be able to help them connect with a potential birth mother for an open adoption. They’re dreaming of becoming dads, and have launched DecorahDads.com to try to make that dream a reality. Read the story - written by Inspire(d)’s Sara Friedl-Putnam – on page 18.
Finally, we suggest you invite some people over for a party! It’s time! How about brunch? Get some menu ideas from Mississippi Mirth (pg. 44), and remember what Jim says: “The possibilities are endless.”
The same goes for spring. Enjoy it!
Looking forward,
Aryn Henning Nichols
From the Editor
05
Inspiremagazine
Who are we?
Co-founders:Aryn Henning Nichols / editor & designer
Benji Nichols / writer & advertising sales(& husband, support team, dinner-maker)
We couldn’t do it without:Kristine Kopperud Jepsen/ contributor
Sara Friedl-Putnam/ contributor
Joyce Meyer/ photo contributor
Jim McCaffrey/ Mississippi Mirth
Inspire(d) Magazine is published quarterly by Inspire(d)
Media, LLC, 412 Oak Street, Decorah, Iowa, 52101. This issue
is dated Spring 2014, issue 37, volume 6, Copyright 2014 by
Inspire(d) Magazine.
Although Inspire(d) is free on the newsstands, you can have it sent to your door for only $25/year. Email
[email protected] for a membership or visit
theinspiremedia.com for more info.
Want to make a comment about something you read in
the magazine?Email
Interested in advertising? Contact Benji at
[email protected] call 563-379-6315.
Write inspire(d)
support inspire(d)
Visit our website:theinspiredmedia.com
“Like” Inspire(d) Media on Facebook!
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com06
CLASSES EVENTS &
WORKSHOPSinspire & create
508 W. Water St. Decorah, 563.382.5440www.arthausdecorah.org
Fun for everyone!
It’s like coming home......for a quick homemade lunch or breakfast, long coffee, you can even host your parties here – during business or after hours!
400 W. Water St., Decorah • www.javajohnscoffeehouse.com563-382-5690 • See website for hours and daily specials
• Free wi-fi throughout• Indoor/Outdoor seating• From scratch pastries
120 WASHINGTON ST, DECORAH, IOWALunch & dinner Monday - Saturday • 563-382-3067
RESERVATIONS APPRECIATED
&SO MUCH MORE!
Perfect for weddings, showers, birthdays, graduations... or just for you!
563.419.4016 . BeyondTheBarBakery.comJennifer Sullivan . Decorah, Iowa
1. March 7: ArtHaus First Friday: Poetry Slam, 8pm, Decorah Elks Lodge, $5/$3 students, Call ArtHaus to sign up to perform, 563.382.5440
2. March 9: Water Street Music Series (WSMS) Salon Concerts: Classy music brought to three cozy Decorah homes, complete with delicious food and drink. 3pm, $15/$7 students. Addresses and info at wsmsdecorah.org
3. March 13: The Porter House Museum Lecture Series Presents: David Faldet on historic photographs of the Upper Iowa River, 401 W. Broadway, Decorah. 563-382-8465, www.porterhousemuseum.org
4. March 14: “Off The Page series” De Temps Antan at Minnesota Marine Art Museum, Winona. Quebecois trio plays trad Celt & Cajun stylings, pagethetare.org, $18/$16
5. March 15: Soprano Christie Hageman, accompanied by Eric McEnaney present a stunning evening of Opera. 7:30 pm, St. Mane Theatre, Lanesboro. $15/$12 members. 507-467-2446 www.lanesboroarts.org
6. March 14-23: La Crosse Community Theatre: Guys on Ice. A musical about life, love, and the one that got away. March 14-23, 2014 $12-$26 www.lacrossecommunitytheatre.org 608-784-9292 Theatre PG
7. March 20-22: Quilter’s Fun Run hosted by Red-Roxy Quilt Co. in Decorah! Six stores in NE Iowa, chances to win, specials, & more! 415 W. Water St., Decorah, 563-382-4646, [email protected]
8. March 22: BIG Mentoring Bowl-A-Thon at Oneota Lanes, Decorah. Join in and support mentoring at 10:00, 1:00 or 3:00. Register your team by March 14 at www.helpingservices.org/mentoring.
9. March 27: Porter House Museum Lecture Series: Emily Mineart on 1890s - 1920s historic scrapbooks of A.F. Porter. 401 W. Broadway, Decorah. 7:30pm. 563-382-8465, www.porterhousemuseum.org
10. April 4: A SUNRISE party at Nightfall! Dragonfly Books hosts YA author Mike Mullin (SUNRISE/ ASHFALL trilogy), 6:30pm. Taekwondo demonstrations; post-apocalyptic snacks; booksigning. All ages. FREE! www.dragonflybooks.com
11. April 4: ArtHaus FREE First Friday: Annual Emerging Artists’ Exhibition, ArtHaus and ArtHaus Studio, 7-9pm, Juried Exhibition featuring artwork by artists ages 18-23 from the Driftless Region.
12. April 4: Women’s Weekend Out – Iowa Drag Queen Show! Prepare to be dazzled! Elk’s Lodge, Decorah, 9pm-12am. Tickets $8/advance. $10/door. More information: visitdecorah.com/wwo
Check out these super spring activities! In chronological order, each event’s number coincides with its number on the calendar!
Looking for more details about events on the calendars?
25W/$25B
Port
er H
ouse
Mus
eum
ww
w.p
orte
rhou
sem
useu
m.o
rg •
Dec
orah
, Iow
a
1
23
4
67
8
91
01
1
5
13
14
15
16
17
18
12
20
21
22
23
24
25
19
28
Mon
day
Tues
day
Sun
day
Wed
nesd
ayTh
ursd
ayFr
iday
Sat
urda
y
26
27
Ma
rch
fun stuff to do
34
5
67
8
10
11
12
13
14
15
9
17
18
19
20
21
22
16
24
25
26
27
28
29
23
Mon
day
Tues
day
Sun
day
Wed
nesd
ayTh
ursd
ayFr
iday
Sat
urda
y
12
30
Ap
ril
fun stuff to do
29
30
34
5
7
8
9
2
1
11
12
13 14
10
31
Feb.
28
– M
arch
2: O
neot
a Fi
lm F
esti
val,
Dec
orah
Mar
ch 8
-9 &
14
-16
: On
the
Ver
ge o
r Th
e G
eogr
aphy
of
Yar
ning
by
Eric
Ove
rmye
r,
Luth
er T
heat
re &
Dan
ce
See
d S
aver
s Ex
chan
ge
Vis
itor
C
ente
r O
pens
for
Sea
son!
KD
EC H
ome,
S
port
, and
G
arde
n S
how
, D
ecor
ah H
S,
10
am-3
pm
Cib
o M
atto
, Tu
rf C
lub
Sha
ron
Jone
s &
the
D
ap K
ings
, En
gler
t, Io
wa
City
Free
Fir
st
Thur
sday
, V
este
rhei
m,
Dec
orah
Mik
e M
cAbe
e,
Hor
sesh
oe,
Cal
mar
, 9pm
Art
Hau
s Fi
rst
Frid
ay P
oetr
y S
lam
, Elk
s,
Dec
orah
, 8pm
Wat
er
St.
Mus
ic
Ser
ies,
Sal
on
Con
cert
s,
3pm
Por
ter
Hou
se
Mus
eum
Le
ctur
e:
Dav
id F
alde
t,
7:3
0pm
De
Tem
ps A
ntan
, “O
ff t
he P
age
Ser
ies”
, MN
M
arin
e A
rt
Mus
eum
, W
inon
a, 7
:30
pm
Mar
ch1
4-2
3: L
a C
ross
e C
omm
unit
y Th
eatr
e, “
Guy
s O
n Ic
e”
Chr
isti
e H
agem
an,
Ope
ra, S
t. M
ane
Thea
tre,
La
nesb
oro,
7
:30
pm
Mar
ch 2
0-2
2: N
E Io
wa
Qui
lter
’s F
un R
un
Sho
p H
op, R
ed-R
oxy
Qui
lt C
o., D
ecor
ah
Big
Men
tori
ng
Bow
l-a-T
hon,
O
neot
a La
nes,
D
ecor
ah, 1
0am
1
pm /
3pm
Por
ter
Hou
se
Mus
eum
Le
ctur
e:
Emily
Min
eart
, 7
:30
pm
6
Apr
il 1
-6: M
issi
on C
reek
Fes
tiva
l, Io
wa
City
“Sun
rise
” pa
rty
at N
ight
fall
wit
h au
thor
Mik
e M
ullin
, D
rago
nfly
Boo
ks, 6
:30
pm,F
ree!
Art
Hau
s D
ecor
ah F
ree
Firs
t Fr
iday
! Em
ergi
ng A
rtis
ts E
xhib
it, 7
-9pm
Wom
en’s
Wee
kend
Out
, Dra
g S
how
with
Io
wa
Que
ens,
Elk
s Lo
dge,
Dec
orah
, 9pm
WS
MS
: In
Sea
rch
of
Am
eric
a,
Stey
er O
pera
H
ouse
, Dec
o-ra
h, 7
:30
pm
Cha
stit
y B
row
n &
B
and,
St
. Man
e Th
eatr
e,
Lane
sbor
o,
7:3
0pm
Eart
h D
ay
Cel
ebra
tion
w
/ A
bsol
ute
Hoo
t, O
neot
a C
oop,
5-7
pm
Aut
hor
Thom
as M
altm
an,
Dra
gonf
ly B
ooks
, 7
pm, F
ree
Apr
il 2
4-2
6: M
id W
est
Mus
ic F
est,
Win
ona
Art
Hau
s P
oetr
y S
lam
, D
ecor
ah E
lks,
8
pm
Dec
orah
Tim
e Tr
ial’s
Mou
ntai
n B
ike
Rac
e
Wor
ld T
ai C
hi
& Q
igon
g D
ay,
8-9
am
15
16
17
18
19
20
Mar
ch
20
: Fir
st
Day
of
Spr
ing!
Jr. B
row
n,
Whi
skey
Bon
es
Roa
dhou
se,
Roc
hest
er
The
Dea
d H
orse
s,
T-B
ock’
s
Her
o Jr
, H
aym
arke
t
Peo
ple
Bro
’s
Ban
d, E
d’s,
W
inon
a
Mar
ch
22
: Spr
ing
Gar
den
Sch
ool
& S
eed
Sw
ap,
Seed
Sav
ers
Lake
Str
eet
Div
e, E
ngle
rt
Thea
tre,
Io
wa
City
Mek
lit
Had
ero,
C
SPS,
Ced
ar
Rap
ids,
7pm
SFJ
AZ
Z
Col
lect
ive,
En
gler
t, Io
wa
City
Mar
ch 2
8: N
ight
(Out
) at
the
Mus
eum
! La
Cro
sse
Chi
ldre
n’s
Mus
eum
, 5:3
0-8
pm
Mar
ch 2
8: S
an D
imas
w/
The
Ult
raso
unds
, Ed’
s, W
inon
a
Hon
est
Mon
day,
Ed’
s,
Win
ona
Gre
en’s
Sug
ar
Bus
h P
anca
ke
Day
, rur
al
Cas
talia
, 10
am
Day
light
Sav
ings
- Spr
ing
Forw
ard!
Hap
py S
t.
Pat
rick
’s D
ay!
APRIL 4
Apr
il 3
: Fr
ee F
irst
Th
ursd
ay,
Ves
terh
eim
, D
ecor
ah
AP
RIL
4-5
: W
omen
’s W
eeke
nd
Out
! Dow
ntow
n D
ecor
ahA
PR
IL 4
:P
hilli
p G
lass
, Lut
her
Cen
ter
Stag
e, 7
:30
pmD
ogho
use
John
& T
he M
isbe
havo
rs,
Hay
mar
ket,
Dec
orah
Apr
il 5
:A
pple
Gra
ftin
g W
orks
hop,
See
d S
aver
sP
hilli
pine
s B
enef
it C
once
rt, N
ob H
ill, 7
:30
pm
Chi
ckfe
st in
Chu
ckto
wn!
Cha
rles
Cit
y (s
ee b
ack
cove
r!)
Lane
sbor
o Li
ve w
ith
Dam
on P
rest
emon
, St.
Man
e
Gre
en’s
Sug
ar
Bus
h P
anca
ke
Day
, rur
al
Cas
talia
, 10
am
Red
Mol
ly,
CSP
S, C
edar
R
apid
s
Bar
neti
men
(C
hild
ren’
s H
our)
, Ves
ter-
heim
, Dec
orah
, 1
0am
Juan
a M
olin
a,
Ced
ar C
ultu
ral
Cen
ter,
MSP
Luth
er
Col
lege
Ja
zz
Orc
hest
ra,
The
Mill,
Io
wa
City
Apr
il 1
1:
Ove
r Th
e B
ack
Fenc
e R
adio
Sho
w, S
t. M
ane
Thea
tre,
Lan
esbo
ro
Huu
n-H
uur-
Tu T
uvan
S
inge
rs,
CSP
S, C
edar
R
apid
s
Clin
t B
lack
, En
gler
t Th
eatr
e,
Iow
a C
ity
Fato
umat
a D
iaw
ara,
C
SPS,
Ced
ar
Rap
ids
Apr
il 1
7-1
9:
East
er E
GG
-S
trav
agan
za,
La C
ross
e C
hild
ren’
s M
useu
m
Pau
la
Pou
ndst
one,
En
gler
t Th
eatr
e,
Iow
a C
ity
Bo
Ram
sey
& H
ighw
ay
12
, The
Mill,
Io
wa
City
Jere
my
Kit
tel
Ban
d, C
SPS,
C
edar
Rap
ids
Hop
py
East
er!
Nic
hola
s D
avid
, Ed’
s N
o N
ame,
W
inon
a
Apr
il 2
5:
Nig
ht (O
ut)
at t
he
Mus
eum
! La
Cro
sse
Chi
ldre
n’s
Mus
eum
, 5
:30
-8pm
Apr
il 2
6:
T-B
ock’
s 2
0th
A
nniv
ersa
ry
Par
ty, D
ecor
ah
Tent
Sho
w
Rad
io L
ive!
R
ichl
and
Cen
ter
WI H
igh
Scho
ol,
7:3
0pm
Nig
ht (O
ut) a
t th
e M
useu
m!
La C
ross
e C
hild
ren’
s M
u-se
um, 5
:30
-8pm
‘Of t
he E
arth
’, ce
ram
ics
by C
ourt
ney
Ber
gey,
La
nesb
oro
Art
s C
ente
r th
roug
h M
arch
29
Luth
er C
SS
, N
otes
Fro
m
the
Bal
cony
, 7
:30
pm
Cla
ssic
B
road
way
Cab
-ar
et, E
lkad
er
Ope
ra H
ouse
, 4
pm, F
ree
Mar
ch 8
: The
Las
t R
evel
, Hay
mar
ket
Dic
k P
rall,
En
gler
t, Io
wa
City
Mar
ch 9
: C
harl
ie P
arr,
Ed
’s N
o N
ame,
W
inon
a
Ves
eter
heim
M
embe
r A
ppre
ciat
ion
Nig
ht, 5
-7pm
, Fl
ora
Met
a-m
orph
icae
ar
tist
pre
sen-
tati
on 7
pm
Bar
neti
men
(k
ids
hour
), V
este
rhei
m,
Dec
orah
, 10
am
Mar
ch 1
4:
Luth
er C
CS
S, R
iver
Nor
th D
ance
C
hica
go, 7
:30
pmO
ver
The
Bac
k Fe
nce
Rad
io S
how
, St
. Man
e Th
eatr
e, L
anes
boro
Wau
kon
St.
P
atri
ck’s
D
ay
Par
ade!
Mik
e M
cAbe
e,
Goo
dfel
las,
W
auko
n
3
45
6
89
10
11
12
13
7
15
16
17
18
19
20
14
22
23
24
25
26
27
21
30
Mon
day
Tues
day
Sun
day
Wed
nesd
ayTh
ursd
ayFr
iday
Sat
urda
y
28
29
Ma
yfun stuff to do
25 W
ord
s/$2
5 Bu
cks
Cal
enda
r ti
me
is a
lway
s an
exc
itin
g ti
me
at In
spir
e(d)
Hea
dqua
rter
s. “
Just
how
muc
h ca
n w
e fit
on
ther
e th
is m
onth
?!?”
In r
ecen
t ye
ars,
wha
t w
e ha
d ch
osen
for
thes
e lo
vely
pag
es h
ad b
een
enti
rely
ed
itor
ial a
nd s
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theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 09
415 W Water St. Decorah, IA . 563-382-4646 . [email protected]
117 W. WATER ST., DECORAH, IA • 563.382.WINE
www.RubaiyatRestaurant.com
bar menu also available
RESERVATIONS APPRECIATED
DINNER: WED-SAT – OPEN AT 5 SUNDAY BRUNCH: 9-1
“Delicious food + great atmosphere = fun!”
Read reviews! Like us! Check in!
PLUS: CHECK OUT THE RUBAIYAT WINE SHOP!
2014 ART WORKSHOPS
1. Water Color & Ink (San Clemente, CA): Feb 8-92. Drawing: April 12-133. Watercolor – Beginner: June 14-154. Watercolor – Advanced: Sept 13-145. Watercolor & Ink: October 25-26
107 W. WATER ST, DECORAH, IOWAOPEN MON-SAT
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EXHIBITS AVAILABLE
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HOLISTICcare licensed massage therapist+ zone therapist & yoga instructor
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Chair massage Tuesdays, 12:30-2:30 at Oneota Co-op in Decorah
Stop by & meet me!BUY GIFT CERTIFICATES ONLINE FOR $5 OFF
13. April 5: Water Street Music Series (WSMS) - In Search of America: Author Robert Wolf, composer Jon Ailabouni and the Luther College Jazz Quintet at Steyer Opera House, 7:30pm, $10/$5 students. wsmsdecorah.org
14. April 12: Lanesboro Arts Center presents Chastity Brown & Band, 7:30 pm, St. Mane Theatre, Lanesboro. $15/$12 members. 507-467-2446 www.lanesboroarts.org
15. April 22: Earth Day Celebration at Oneota Co-op! Featuring local burgers, brats, and veggie burgers for purchase. Live music - Absolute Hoot! 5-7 pm. FREE! www.oneotacoop.com
16. April 24: Dragonfly Books hosts 2014 ‘All Iowa Reads’ author Thomas Maltman (LITTLE WOLVES), 7pm. Powerful murder mystery; a page-turner. Presentation and book signing. FREE event! www.dragonflybooks.com/events
17. April 24-26: Mid West Music Fest (MWMF), Winona, MN. Performances by 100+ musicians! All-ages, all-genres, volunteer-driven music festival, profits benefiting kids and the arts. www.midwestmusicfest.org
18. April 25: ArtHaus Poetry Slam, 8pm, Decorah Elks Lodge, $5/$3 students, A not-to-be-missed Decorah event. Call ArtHaus to sign up to perform, 563.382.5440
19. April 26: (FREE) World Tai Chi and Qigong Day, 8-9am, Luther College baseball diamond, Regent’s Center Rain location. Contact: [email protected]
20. April 26: Decorah Time Trials Mountain Bike Race. Iowa’s Longest Running Mountain Biking Event - 24th Annual! 8.75 miles, minimum total cash payout of $1,000, over $1,000 in drawing prizes www.decorahtimetrials.com
21. May 2: ArtHaus Art Auction, Upstairs of T-Bock’s Sports Bar & Grill, 6:30-9pm, $20, Come to Support the ArtHaus Youth Scholarship Fund and your local art center!
22. May 3: Join Trish Bruxvoort-Colligan’s five-piece ensemble to hear her new CD “Wild Acre”, recorded at Heritage Farm last summer. Only 150 tickets available, 5-8pm. $15 www.seedsavers.org, 563-382-5990
23. May 3: Come “Into the Wild” to help Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation remove garlic mustard, a threat to Iowa’s woodlands. All ages. Coffee/lunch provided. NE Iowa. www.inhf.org/volunteer.cfm
24. May 9: LCT: Thoroughly Modern Millie, A musical comedy about friendship, love, and everything modern. May 9-24, 2014 $12-$26 www.lacrossecommunitytheatre.org 608-784-9292 Theatre PG
25. May 17: Vesterheim Syttende Mai Celebration! Bicentennial of Norway’s Constitution Day, free museum admission, children’s parade, Nordic Dancers, street dance with Foot-Notes, and more family activities. vesterheim.org 563-382-9681
Check out these super spring activities! In chronological order, each event’s number coincides with its number on the calendar!
Looking for more details about events on the calendars?
25W/$25B
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com10
Large living space Downtown Decorah
Full kitchen
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• Two-car garage
• Full-size fridge, range, microwave, & dishwasher
• Cable TV, wireless high-speed Internet, local
phone & DVD player
• Smoke-free building
• Full-size washer & dryer• ideal for small families
or couples
2-night minimum
Weekly & Monthly rates available
CONVENIENCE MEETS LUXURY
Two bedroomsTwo bathrooms
VIROQUA, WISCONSINBOXED(IN)
Story and photos by Inspire(d)
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 11
220 N ELM ST. CRESCO, IOWA 563-547-2877
M-W & F 9AM-7PMTHURSDAY 9AM-6PMSAT 10AM-2PM
YOU ASK. WE HELP. YOU RIDE.
It’s simple.
ANY PERSON.ANY QUESTION.
ANY BIKE.
Driftless Wisconsin Portal | driftlesswisconsin.comThis portal is a fantastic guide to all things in the Viroqua area. Take a look and plan your own adventure!
Community Powered Radio – WDRT 91.9FM | Also listen online: wdrt.org | Viroqua’s community powered radio station. You’ll hear an eclectic mix of music, shows, and events broadcast from their downtown studio!
Viroqua, Wisconsin, is just one of those places – the kind you hear about and so want to visit, but getting there
seems impossible – literally. We’re pretty sure it’s uphill both ways. But once you do get there, and you take in the views of valleys and bluffs, you wonder: “What took me so long?” And then, “I might never leave.”
That seems to be the case for a lot of people who call Viroqua home. folks came for a variety of reasons – like those who settled there in the mid-1800s, it might simply be the beauty of the region pulled them in. Or more recently, the surge of organic farming – not to mention the headquarters of organic-biz moguls Organic Valley nestled one town over in la farge. It was probably the pleasant Ridge Waldorf School that drew one family to town, and the great food co-op that recruited another.
Whatever brought these people together, they’re working hard – together – to make their little town of 5,000 special, sustainable, and a fun place to be.
Which, in turn, makes it a fun place to visit! We made our way on a sunny weekend to check out this little community big on cooperatives. The historic downtown is easily traveled on-foot and is filled with quirky stores, handmade shops, cafes, and boutiques. And behind every counter is a person recommending the place next door or just down the street.
We’ve laid out just a few of our favorite spots to help you find your way – whether it’s packing out into the 8,000+ acre kickapoo Valley Reserve, or hunkering down for a quiet romantic weekend, we hope you enjoy the bounty of the Driftless Region!
START hERE:
(Cont. next page)
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com12
Sty
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Bru
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wom
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wee
kend
out
Saturday April 5
9 am
Homemade QuicheFresh Fruit
Roasted PotatoesCoffee/Water/Juice
Bloody Marys & Mimosas available for extra charge
Spo
nsor
ed in
par
t by
Insp
ire(
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edia
& H
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, P.C
.
Get tickets at Decorah Visitors Center or at participating stores
listed at:
Hotel Winneshiek
$15 Advance tickets only
visitdecorah.com
gET OUTSIDE:Kickapoo Valley Reserve. S3661 State Highway 131. La Farge, WI 54639. 608-625-2960. kvr.state.wi.us | The “KVR” (as they say…) is one of the most impressive expanses of land in the entire Driftless Area. 8,500 acres between La Farge and Ontario, Wisconsin (just a few miles from Viroqua) cradle the Kickapoo River, offering up unlimited recreational opportunities. Originally pegged for a controversial damn dam project in the early 1960s, the project failed to ever be completed, leaving this treasure to eventually become a public reserve.
Bluedog Cycles & Brewdog. 210 South Main Street. 608-637-6993. bluedogcycles.blogspot.com | Pete and Alycann Taylor have been holding things down at this unique bike/coffee shop since 2005. Not only do they offer great products and service, but they are great resources on getting outdoors near Viroqua. Stop in, grab a cup of coffee, and check it out before you get outside!
ChECk IT OUT:Driftless Books and Music. 518 Walnut St. 608-638-BOOK. www.driftlessbooks.com | Viroqua’s cooperative tobacco history is fascinating, especially the physical buildings. What could be more fascinating? One of these buildings full – yes, FULL – of books! Driftless Books is a massive, well-stocked, really amazing place to wander! In fact, it may very well be the largest used bookstore in Wisconsin – and the only one that happily barters produce or baked goods for books!
Design Menagerie. 207 E Jefferson Street. 608-638-0638. www.designmenagerie.com | Just a block off of Main Street sits a gorgeous century old Victorian – finished in clean, unique colors and lines. The first floor houses an incredible designer boutique of hand crafted and selected products ranging from gourmet goods to beautiful fabrics and jewelry – “Objects of Utility and Design”. Stop by to take in this one-of-a-kind shop.
Viroqua Public Market. 215 South Main Street. www.viroquapublicmarket.com | The Viroqua Public Market is the center of many good things downtown. First, the market serves as an outlet for hundreds of vendors from across the region. The same building also houses Bramble Books and the Viva Gallery, as well as the occasional indoor farmers market.
Pomegranate. 209 S. Main Street. 608-637-7638 | This postage-stamp-sized shop packs a giant amount of heart into every handmade item they offer. Their plush children’s toys are absolute gems, Roxie is even the proud owner of one of their little orange foxes!
Tulips General Store. 207 S. Main Street. 608-638-3838. tulipsgeneralstore.com | Part teashop, bakery, and local goods emporium, this store is a fun mix! Fresh scones (and bagels if you’re early!) on the weekend, plus a huge selection of loose leaf teas.
Temple Theatre. 220 S. Main Street. 608-6637-8190. www.temple-theatre.com | Refurbishment was finished in 2002 on this anchor of downtown Viroqua. With nine murals, a full rehab of the 1922 Temple Theatre’s Wurlitzer organ, and the grand marquis, it’s a grand venue for events and performances.
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 13
For more information and to register, go to visitdecorah.com/wwo
women’s weekend out | decorah, iowa
friday & saturday, april 4 & 5, 2014
Live entertainment and parties all over town Friday and Saturday nights
Classes and demonstrations
Free Swag Bags
Door prizes & giveaways
Style shows
Fantastic shopping deals all weekend!
The Ark. 401 E. Jefferson Street. 608-637-7824. artarkviroqua.org | Viroqua’s community and regional arts center – offering classes, space, movement, and a home for the arts in the midst of the Driftless Region.
Viroqua Farmer’s Market. 116 S. Rock Avenue. 608-637-2575. Saturdays 8am-12pm | Rockin’ farmers market – amazing variety of local and Driftless Region products. Traditional outside market runs spring through
fall, with winter market open many Saturdays as well – check out their Facebook page for latest updates and locations.
Driftless Folk School. 401 E. Jefferson (office based at The Ark!). www.driftlessfolkschool.org | Ever wanted to learn more about practical, sustainable, lifelong skills? Do you like to work with your hands, create objects, or learn traditional crafts? Check out all of the classes at the school – from ‘Clay in a
day’ and ‘Design your own small building,’ to ‘Fruit tree grafting’ – the possibilities are great, and ever changing. Check out the schedule online.
Norskedalen Nature and Heritage Center. (Coon Valley) 608.452.3424. www.norskedalen.org | Norskedalen or “Norwegian Valley” is a 400-acre site dedicated to preserving and interpreting “the natural environment and cultural heritage of the region”. Open daily for visiting, in addition to special events, a guest cabin, historical displays, and much more.
courtesy KVR
PLANEHiking in Colorado: June 1 – 6
Sea�le & San Juan Islands: July 21 – 26Alaska: August 15 – 27
New York City: Sept 26 – 30Southern California: Sept 29 – Oct 4
Rome & Greek Islands cruise: Oct 8 – 20
T�INPaci�c NW: July 31 – Aug 9
New England: Oct 4 – 11
MOTORCOACHPhiladelphia & New York: June 22 – July 1Colorado: August 3 – 11New England: Sept 19 – Oct 1Door County: Oct 12 – 17
877-658-6948 • DECO�H, IOWA : 563-382-5604
Just convenient, fun, & affordable NorthLand tours. Wherevacation isvacation!
NO STRESS. NO WORK. NO WORRIES.
Many more Northland Travel tour departures available.
Details online!www.northlandtravel.com
Celebrating 60 years of safe &
enjoyable travel!
EAT / DRINk:Driftless Café. 118 W Court St. www.driftlesscafe.com | “Seasonal menus – Locally Sourced – Written in Chalk” Seriously good local food. Really, these guys aren’t messing around. We mean it. Go now. Get a WiscoPop! with dinner, and don’t skip dessert.
Rooted Spoon. 219 S. Main St. www.rootedspoon.com | Adjacent to The Viroqua Public Market, these fine folks host “219 Drinkery” every Friday, often with different themes, and an amazing brunch every Sunday. They also offer incredible monthly dinners and special events, but are not open for regular daily service. Plan ahead to hit an event!
Tangled Hickory Wine Bar. 120 S. Main St. www.tangledhickory.com | Downtown wine bar with changing seasonal entrees, a wide and affordable wine list, and nice ambiance. Happy Hour specials on wine and appetizers everyday from 4-6pm.
Viroqua Coop. 609 N. Main St. viroquafood.coop | Cooperative awesomeness! Beyond the normal co-op grocery and bulk findings, offerings include a great deli/hot bar, coffee and bakery counter, fun gifts, and a fantastically selected beer cooler. You can even get Kickapoo Coffee or a WiscoPop! to go!
7 Rivers Sausage www.7riverssausage.com | Travis Anderson may very well be the sausage king of Viroqua – we’re not sure that title has ever existed, but we are sure that there’s a whole lot of delicious charcuterie going on at 7 Rivers. Highest quality ingredients, no junk, and all natural casings equal true regional delights.
WiscoPop! www.wiscopopsoda.com | If you didn’t already know it (perhaps you read the story in our Fall issue?), we love WiscoPop! Three Viroqua business partners making incredible craft brewed soda from nothing but great ingredients. It’s currently available on tap or by special order mini-kegs (bottling coming soon!). You can find them locally in Viroqua at the Coop, Driftless Café, and the Root Note in La Crosse. And word on the street is WiscoPop! may soon be on tap in Decorah!
Kickapoo Coffee Roasters. 1201 N. Main Street #10. www.kickapoocoffee.com | Since 2005, Kickapoo has been sourcing and roasting incredible coffee beans from around the globe. We drink it here at Inspire(d) HQ every day! Co-owners TJ Semanchin and Caleb Nicholes don’t cut corners when it comes to finding the best coffee beans possible and coaxing out their incredible flavors. Check out their once-a-month coffee cupping / tastings – it’s a wildly educational (and
caffeinating) experience!
STAY:Heritage Inn. 220 & 217 East Jefferson St. 608-637-3306. herinn.comBeautifully restored historic Inn with private baths, cable, AC, etc. Just a block off of Downtown Viroqua, leaving you easily on foot for in-town adventures!
Natures Nook Retreat. S4878 Cty. Rd. S. 608-637-3928. www.naturenooksretreat.com | Rural Kickapoo Valley cabin rentals meant for relaxing – there’s the Little Barn, Cabin-in-a-barn, and Kinship Place gathering space. The west fork of the Kickapoo River runs through the 95-acre property, including access to brown trout, kayaking, and hiking trails.
Kickapoo Valley Reserve. 608-625-2960. kvr.state.wi.us | If you really want to get out there and enjoy the woods, this is your place to throw down a tent and watch the stars. 25 sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis with minimal fees. Remember to pack necessities as the KVR is a little ways away from civilization – which is all the more of a reason to visit!
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 15
• Same day crowns, veneers, & bridges with CEREC CAD technology• Less radiation & better diagnostics through digital x rays & records
• Soft tissue laser to help heal canker sores & cold sores without a scalpel, reducing healing time• New “wand anesthesia systems” that allow us to numb your teeth without a shot
• Plus, now offering Invisalign!
Nothing but the best for our patients.
We’re here to make you smile.
Dr. Peter J. Blodgett • Dr. John E. Wilmes • Dr. Lana W. McDermott 108 Fifth Avenue, Decorah, Iowa • 563-382-3657 • www.decorahdental.com • Find us on
>>> Learn more at the all-new decorahdental.comComing soon!
YourADVENTUR E !Spring MusicSo you want to see some music? Well you’re in luck – there’s tons of great music to see! It’s up to you to Choose Your Own Adventure! follow your little musical heart to find just the right show (or shows) for you during this magical time of year: Spring!
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flIp ThE pAgE TO START YOUR ADVENTURE!
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com16
People you can trust.Quality you can
depend on.
Est. 1961
31 West Main StreetWaukon, Iowa
800.932-7028 • 563.568-3661
3 goldsmiths, a graduate gemologist, and a
watchmaker on staff!
elliottjewelers.com
Monday: 9am - 8pmTues - Fri: 9am - 5pmSaturday: 9am - 3pm
Star-crossed LoveMarch 8: ‘Notes from the Balcony’ brings a powerhouse Romeo & Juliet duo to the stage of the Luther College CFL. The Boston Brass and Enso String Quartet combine to create a nine-piece ensemble, paying homage to Shakespeare's star-cross lovers
with works ranging from Kabalevsky and Prokofiev, to Leonard Bernstein and Elvis Costello. Check the website for details on a special pre-show themed dinner as well – date night complete!
tickets.luther.edu 563-387-1357
LIVING ROOMS: Come on in!March 9: Water Street Music Series, Salon Concerts. WSM is thriving in its second season. Join friends to experience this unique rotating afternoon of chamber music in living rooms
across Decorah! Music, food, drink, & the arts collide as everyone has a front row seat! www.wsmsdecorah.org
ART MUSEUM: Quebecois on the MississippiMarch 14: The Page Theatre series at Saint Mary’s
University in Winona offers up an “Off the Page” show at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (800 Riverview Drive, Winona) with De Temps Antan (7:30pm)! Enjoy “Celtic-inspired, French-steeped, and Canadian-styled” music in
the midst of an incredible Marine Art collection. The show is a project of SMU’s Page Theatre Series – tickets
available at SMU box office – and, added bonus: you can stop by the Winona History Center (160 Johnson St.) at
12pm the same day to hear a free talk by members of De Temps Antan about Quebecois heritage, the music it
created, and how they explore the intersection of tradition and today. www.pagetheatre.org, 507-457-1715
Get in the Groove!March 28: SFJAZZ Collective, Englert Theatre, Iowa City, 8pm. A project of the San Francisco Jazz Center (SFJAZZ), this group of eight musicians shows a collective force that is truly unrivalled. These are the finest players on the scene today, joining forces to swing hard, play true, and further the mission of SFJAZZ. Don’t miss your chance to take in some of the best jazz that Iowa will see for some time. www.englert.org 319-688-2653
Get your freak on!April 1-6: Mission Creek Festival, Iowa City. Music, Lit, Film, Food, in over a dozen venues. Mission Creek was born in San Francisco, but found a second home in Iowa City! Check out an amazing curation of events as spring trickles into Eastern Iowa. The Head & the Heart, Jason Isbell, !!!, William Elliott Whitmore, The Pines, of Montreal, and so much more… www.missionfreak.com
Piano-loversApril 4: Composer Phillip Glass appears on the stage of the Luther College CFL as the end cap to the 2014 season. Glass plays his most recent works on Luther College’s elegant nine-foot Steinway grand piano. The concert provides a glimpse into the intricacies of the great composer’s work – personally introduced from the bench. In the past 25 years, Glass has composed more than 20 operas and eight symphonies, plus numerous concertos, soundtracks, and string quartets. He has collaborated with Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Yo-Yo Ma, and Doris Lessing, to name just a few. An intimate and unique look at a visionary at work, this evening provides a fond re-acquaintance for Glass fans and a perfect introduction for new audiences. 7:30pm. tickets.luther.edu 563-387-1357
Do Good Dancin’Saturday April 5: The Memory Brothers “Big Band” hosts a special
benefit for the Red Cross international efforts in the Philippines. Special guests will include locals the Buck Hollow Band, Jeni
Holtan Grouws, Keith Lesmeister, and more. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross, designated to continuing Philippines disaster relief.
Wear your dancing shoes! Nob Hill, Rural Decorah, 7:30pm
Soul in the ShireApril 12: Minneapolis’ own Chastity Brown brings it to little ol’ Lanesboro for a great evening of music. Described as “the inheritor of Leadbelly, Nina Simone, Bonnie Raitt and Roberta Flack,” her music is powerful and genuine. The Lanesboro Arts Center presents Brown at the St. Mane Theatre 7:30 pm, $15/$12 members. 507-467-2446 www.lanesboroarts.org
MWMFApril 24-26: For five years, Mid West Music Festival has been cranking things up in Winona. The 2014 version is stoked to the brim with goodies – bringing more bands than you can count to stages across the city of Winona. It all happens in the name of supporting community and youth programming. Caroline Smith will be making a big splash, as well as an entire stage curated by The People Brothers Band on Saturday. Get in on all the festival fun at www.midwestmusicfest.org!
SEED SAVER’S HERITAGE FARM: Band in a Barn!May 3: Spring comes to the Seed Saver’s
Exchange Farm with a visit from Trish Bruxvoort-Colligan’s five-piece band. Last summer,
they recorded a new album “Wild Acre” in the heritage barn, and this spring they will again offer
an intimate evening of music in the barn. Only 150 tickets are available, and the evening starts with nibbles from Pepperfield Farm – perfection!
The evening begins at 5pm and will be finished by 8pm. Advance tickets only – $15. Visit earlier in
the day for the annual ‘Rare and Unusual’ Heritage Plant sale! www.seedsavers.org 563-382-5990
Stomp the Yard!May 30: Joe & Vicki Price, The Courtyard & CellarIf there was one musician – or musicians in this case – that might sum up life in the Driftless Region, we’d be willing to go out on a limb and say it’s Joe and Vicki Price. Their brand of home grown, country delta-stomp blues, is infectious – perfect imperfection. To enjoy a beautiful early summer evening outdoor with Joe and Vicki is the kind of stuff we dream of all winter long. A perfect way to kick off your Memorial Day Weekend – and a great chance to check out The Courtyard’s new ‘Cellar’ addition! See you there! 8pm, 421 W. Water St, Decorah, $5 www.facebook.com/dcourtyard
Spring MusicSo you want to see some music? Well you’re in luck – there’s tons of great music to see! It’s up to you to Choose Your Own Adventure! Follow your little musical heart to find just the right show (or shows) for you during this magical time of year: Spring!
WHAT’S ON THE
AGENDA?
DATE NIGHT!
NIGHT OUT WITH
FRIENDSI’M GOIN’
SOLO
CANDLELIGHT DINNER KIND
OF NIGHT?YES! YES!
NO
DO THOSE HEELS FEEL LIKE
KICKING UP?
YES! IN THE MOOD FOR KILLER
COMPOSING?
YES!
YES!
NO
YES!
NO
COOLVENUE ON THE MENU?
YES! NO
NO
YOU MUST BE LOOKING FOR THE REAL DEAL... YES!
SO YOU WANT LOTS OF OPTIONS
AND LOTS OF PEOPLE, RIGHT?
YES!
Phot
o by
Fer
nanc
o Ac
eves
NIGHT OUT WITH
FRIENDS
I’M GOIN’ SOLO
DATE NIGHT!Your
ADVENTUR
E !
Spring Music!
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 17
VIDEO WEB
GRAPHIC DESIGNPHOTOGRAPHY
SOCIAL MARKETING
MODERNMARKETING
www.corbingroup.biz
Prepare to be dazzled!
Friday, April 4, 20149 pm Elk’s Lodge, Decorah
10 Iowa Queens + Women’s Weekend Out =
Extravaganza Eleganza!
women’s weekend out | decorah, iowa
friday & saturday, april 4 & 5, 2014
For more information go to:visitdecorah.com/wwo
Star-crossed LoveMarch 8: ‘Notes from the Balcony’ brings a powerhouse Romeo & Juliet duo to the stage of the Luther College CFL. The Boston Brass and Enso String Quartet combine to create a nine-piece ensemble, paying homage to Shakespeare's star-cross lovers
with works ranging from Kabalevsky and Prokofiev, to Leonard Bernstein and Elvis Costello. Check the website for details on a special pre-show themed dinner as well – date night complete!
tickets.luther.edu 563-387-1357
LIVING ROOMS: Come on in!March 9: Water Street Music Series, Salon Concerts. WSM is thriving in its second season. Join friends to experience this unique rotating afternoon of chamber music in living rooms
across Decorah! Music, food, drink, & the arts collide as everyone has a front row seat! www.wsmsdecorah.org
ART MUSEUM: Quebecois on the MississippiMarch 14: The Page Theatre series at Saint Mary’s
University in Winona offers up an “Off the Page” show at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum (800 Riverview Drive, Winona) with De Temps Antan (7:30pm)! Enjoy “Celtic-inspired, French-steeped, and Canadian-styled” music in the midst of an incredible Marine Art collection. The show
is a project of SMU’s Page Theatre Series – tickets available at SMU box office – and, added bonus: you can
stop by the Winona History Center (160 Johnson St.) at 12pm the same day to hear a free talk by members of De
Temps Antan about Quebecois heritage, the music it created, and how they explore the intersection of tradition
and today. www.pagetheatre.org, 507-457-1715
Get in the Groove!March 28: SFJAZZ Collective, Englert Theatre, Iowa City, 8pm. A project of the San Francisco Jazz Center (SFJAZZ), this group of eight musicians shows a collective force that is truly unrivalled. These are the finest players on the scene today, joining forces to swing hard, play true, and further the mission of SFJAZZ. Don’t miss your chance to take in some of the best jazz that Iowa will see for some time. www.englert.org 319-688-2653
Get your freak on!April 1-6: Mission Creek Festival, Iowa City. Music, Lit, Film, Food, in over a dozen venues. Mission Creek was born in San Francisco, but found a second home in Iowa City! Check out an amazing curation of events as spring trickles into Eastern Iowa. The Head & the Heart, Jason Isbell, !!!, William Elliott Whitmore, The Pines, of Montreal, and so much more… www.missionfreak.com
Piano-loversApril 4: Composer Phillip Glass appears on the stage of the Luther College CFL as the end cap to the 2014 season. Glass plays his most recent works on Luther College’s elegant nine-foot Steinway grand piano. The concert provides a glimpse into the intricacies of the great composer’s work – personally introduced from the bench. In the past 25 years, Glass has composed more than 20 operas and eight symphonies, plus numerous concertos, soundtracks, and string quartets. He has collaborated with Paul Simon, Linda Ronstadt, Yo-Yo Ma, and Doris Lessing, to name just a few. An intimate and unique look at a visionary at work, this evening provides a fond re-acquaintance for Glass fans and a perfect introduction for new audiences. 7:30pm. tickets.luther.edu 563-387-1357
Do Good Dancin’Saturday April 5: The Memory Brothers “Big Band” hosts a special
benefit for the Red Cross international efforts in the Philippines. Special guests will include locals the Buck Hollow Band, Jeni
Holtan Grouws, Keith Lesmeister, and more. All proceeds will go to the Red Cross, designated to continuing Philippines disaster relief.
Wear your dancing shoes! Nob Hill, Rural Decorah, 7:30pm
Soul in the ShireApril 12: Minneapolis’ own Chastity Brown brings it to little ol’ Lanesboro for a great evening of music. Described as “the inheritor of Leadbelly, Nina Simone, Bonnie Raitt and Roberta Flack,” her music is powerful and genuine. The Lanesboro Arts Center presents Brown at the St. Mane Theatre 7:30 pm, $15/$12 members. 507-467-2446 www.lanesboroarts.org
MWMFApril 24-26: For five years, Mid West Music Festival has been cranking things up in Winona. The 2014 version is stoked to the brim with goodies – bringing more bands than you can count to stages across the city of Winona. It all happens in the name of supporting community and youth programming. Caroline Smith will be making a big splash, as well as an entire stage curated by The People Brothers Band on Saturday. Get in on all the festival fun at www.midwestmusicfest.org!
SEED SAVER’S HERITAGE FARM: Band in a Barn!May 3: Spring comes to the Seed Saver’s
Exchange Farm with a visit from Trish Bruxvoort-Colligan’s five-piece band. Last summer,
they recorded a new album “Wild Acre” in the heritage barn, and this spring they will again offer
an intimate evening of music in the barn. Only 150 tickets are available, and the evening starts with nibbles from Pepperfield Farm – perfection!
The evening begins at 5pm and will be finished by 8pm. Advance tickets only – $15. Visit earlier in
the day for the annual ‘Rare and Unusual’ Heritage Plant sale! www.seedsavers.org 563-382-5990
Stomp the Yard!May 30: Joe & Vicki Price, The Courtyard & CellarIf there was one musician – or musicians in this case – that might sum up life in the Driftless Region, we’d be willing to go out on a limb and say it’s Joe and Vicki Price. Their brand of home grown, country delta-stomp blues, is infectious – perfect imperfection. To enjoy a beautiful early summer evening outdoor with Joe and Vicki is the kind of stuff we dream of all winter long. A perfect way to kick off your Memorial Day Weekend – and a great chance to check out The Courtyard’s new ‘Cellar’ addition! See you there! 8pm, 421 W. Water St, Decorah, $5 www.facebook.com/dcourtyard
Spring MusicSo you want to see some music? Well you’re in luck – there’s tons of great music to see! It’s up to you to Choose Your Own Adventure! Follow your little musical heart to find just the right show (or shows) for you during this magical time of year: Spring!
WHAT’S ON THE
AGENDA?
DATE NIGHT!
NIGHT OUT WITH
FRIENDSI’M GOIN’
SOLO
CANDLELIGHT DINNER KIND OF NIGHT?
YES! YES!
NO
DO THOSE HEELS FEEL LIKE
KICKING UP?
YES! IN THE MOOD FOR KILLER
COMPOSING?
YES!
YES!
NO
YES!
NO
COOLVENUE ON THE MENU?
YES! NO
NO
YOU MUST BE LOOKING FOR THE REAL DEAL... YES!
SO YOU WANT LOTS OF OPTIONS
AND LOTS OF PEOPLE, RIGHT?
YES!
Phot
o by
Fer
nanc
o Ac
eves
NIGHT OUT WITH
FRIENDS
I’M GOIN’ SOLO
DATE NIGHT! Spring Music!
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com18
LOOKING TO BUY A HOME? MAYBE YOU’RE BUILDING NEW? OR ADDING SOLAR?
Want free electricity? Try solar!tommassmanconstruction.com
Sustainable Builders/PV SolarTom: 563.380.6712
Travis: 563.380.7912
barbaramassmanrealtors.com
563.380.8911
“Tom Massman Construction has a reputation for doing detailed, thorough work. When it came to thinking about installing a PV solar array, it seemed natural that I go to Tom. He did not hesitate with any question, big or small.... He is current on industry standards, criteria
& does timely work. He & Travis had a seamless install & were helpful with all of the paperwork that was necessary. TMC is a competent,
competitive & trustworthy company...” -Halley Wise ’13
Com
e ho
me
to D
ecor
ah!
Downtown Decorah 222 West Water Street
Andrew & Eric Ellingson hope their website DecorahDads.com
will turn a dream of growing their family into a reality.
Photos by Aryn Henning Nichols
gREAT EXpECTATIONS
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 19
Thrift awesome clothing, books, & household goods!
THE DEPOT OUTLETMonday-Friday 9-5 • Saturday 9-3
www.depotoutlet.org or find us on Facebook
563-382-2700•105 Railroad Ave, Decorah, Iowa
Watch for our move to a new, bigger location this spring!
Join us!1–day pass: $15
10–day pass: $90(valid for 60 days)
Monthly: $100Includes mail & package service, 24/7/365 access, website listing & access to 3rd floor break room.
opendecorah.com
opendecorah
coworking community
open for: Work. Collaboration. Fun. Convenience. 24 hours/day.
Algerian &AmericanAppetizers & Entreés
VegetarianOptions
Sandwiches& Salads
DeliciousDesserts
SignatureCocktails
Connoisseur BeerSelection
Elkader, Iowa • 563-245-1992 • scheras.com
“for Eric and me, coming out as gay men involved acknowledging early on in life
that we were not going to have biological children,” says Andrew Ellingsen of Decorah, Iowa. “But there are children who need good homes, and we know in our hearts that we can offer them that.”
Enter the charming, silver-blue, century-old house of Andrew and Eric Ellingsen, and what you see is exactly what you might expect in the home of two accomplished young professionals with no kids in tow. The house is cozy, warm, and inviting. And immaculate. Nothing appears out of place. But while this energetic, busy couple’s home is organized and tidy, they hope and plan for just a bit more chaos in the not-too-distant future.
You see, Andrew and Eric are excited – they really (really!) are – to fold mountains of onesies and tiny socks. They yearn for crazy play dates and the unpredictability – sometime sadness, often joy – that goes hand-in-tiny-hand with raising a family. And they so look forward to experiencing those first words, first steps, and first days of school. Andrew and Eric dream of bringing a baby into their lives. But they need some help to fulfill that dream.
“We love our life, and we can’t wait to share it with children,” Andrew and Eric write on their website DecorahDads.com, which they launched in the fall of 2013 after they were unable to find an Iowa adoption agency that aligned with their own adoption beliefs and goals. This informational, photo-filled website will, they hope, help them connect with a prospective birth mother. In the months since the site’s been live, Andrew and Eric have made some great connections with people around the globe hoping to help or relating an inspirational story, but they are still waiting to hear from a mother who can make their dream of being fathers a reality.
It’s a dream they’ve harbored since meeting in the Twin Cities more than a decade ago. (Eric, then performing with the professional music group the Dale Warland Singers, fondly remembers spotting Andrew in the audience during a concert in spring 2003 and asking a friend, “WHO is that?”) Both Luther College alumni – Eric graduated with a degree in music in 1999, Andrew with a degree in music education in 2003 – the two never crossed paths on campus but soon learned they shared both a wide circle of friends and an intense passion for music and travel.
By the fall of 2003, they were dating seriously, and in 2005, they were ready to take the next step. With same-sex marriage legalized only in Massachusetts at the time, they invited more than 250 friends and family members to a blessing ceremony held at the couple’s Twin Cities church. “It was very much like a traditional wedding ceremony – our parents walked us down the aisle,” says Andrew.
By Sara Friedl-Putnam
Who ever called Jane plain...
Never met Mary.
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“We were both employees of the church, and they had this special church council meeting to determine whether or not they were going to let us have the ceremony there – ultimately, they decided unanimously to let us have it,” Eric adds. “The council spent months discussing the decision because they didn’t want to make it based solely on knowing us. It really changed the perspective of the congregation, I think, on a lot of social issues.”
Their vows taken, their jobs stable, they, like many committed couples, set about realizing their next dream: Raising a family. “Having children was something we had talked about a lot – almost from the moment we first met,” says Andrew. “By 2007, we were at a good place, and the time felt right to start exploring what options were out there to grow our family.”
It’s a process they eloquently chronicle on their DecorahDads.com website. “We know there are lots of ways for families to grow,” they write. “International adoptions are currently closed to us. None of the countries that often come to mind when one thinks of international adoption (Russia, China, Guatemala, Haiti, Ethiopia…) will allow children to be placed in the home of openly gay families. Adopting through the foster system would mean needing to be okay with a high chance that the child would be reunited with the biological family – as admirable as being a foster family is, we’re not sure our hearts could handle the process. We also have friends who have worked with a surrogate and have had extremely positive experiences. For us right now, though, there are kids that need a home, and we’re a home that needs kids. We want to adopt an infant.”
They did find some national adoption agencies more than willing to work with them, but many of those agencies required that the prospective parents live in the state in which the child was born for
Andrew and Eric share a moment in the “Lego Room.”
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 21
We’re currently accepting applications for
Advertising Sales Manager
Are you organized, pleasant and approachable?Do you have the basics of e-mail, the Internet, and
Offi ce applications mastered? Apply today!
WE WANT YOU!COME JOIN OUR WINNING TEAM...
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spring brings good things!
months prior to finalizing the adoption. “With our schedules, that really wasn’t a realistic option,” Andrew says.
In Minnesota, it looked like that had found a perfect fit in Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota (LSSM), an agency that has provided adoption services since the mid-1800s.
“They offered birth mothers information and support whether they chose adoption or not. They had counselors for mothers who chose abortion, assistance networking with social services to make it financially feasible for birth mothers who choose to keep the child, and a book of waiting families for mothers who chose to make an adoption plan,” they write on DecorahDads.com. “In Iowa, we have struggled to find the same kind of holistic agency – by and large, the philosophy of Iowa’s adoption agencies seems to be ‘adoption or nothing.’ Adoption can be emotionally tough enough, and the last thing we want is to find ourselves in the middle of a situation charged with regret.”
Through LSSM, they attended some emotionally wrenching sessions where birth mothers, biological fathers, and prospective adoptive parents shared their concerns and emotions about the process of open adoption and the nuts-and-bolts reality of what it fundamentally involved: Trusting you have made the correct choice in giving up (or welcoming) an infant and painstakingly negotiating an agreement that, in the end, best serves the needs of the birth parents, adoptive parents, and, most importantly, the adopted child. It was this process that made Andrew and Eric realize that’s how they wanted their adoption to operate.
“The counselors talked at length about negotiated openness, an agreement where the birth parents describe what they would like and the potential adoptive family talks about what they would like. A counselor then finds the balance between what feels realistic for both in the long term while best benefiting the child,” says Eric.
As they prepared for a home-study – the last step before being officially approved by the agency as an adoptive family – the couple encountered an unexpected twist. In 2011, while nursing a vocal-chord injury that prevented Eric from singing professionally (he has since recovered), he happened across a friend’s Facebook post about a job opening at Luther. The college was seeking a coordinator for its music groups, and Eric thought he would be a good fit. Plus, Decorah felt like a community where he and Andrew could plant roots and start a family.
“It was a bit of a pipe dream, but we talked often about moving back to the town where we went to college. We had always said, in a sort of joking way, ‘wouldn’t Decorah be a great place to raise kids?’” says Andrew. Serendipity soon played its part when Andrew learned about a position opening in the local elementary school for a music teacher. He did not hesitate to apply.
“It all happened within a few months of reading that post on Facebook,” says Eric. “We were packing up our house, looking forward to brand-new jobs, and moving to Decorah, in good part because we always thought that Decorah would be a perfect place to raise kids. … People often ask us what we want when it comes to a child, and we always say we would love a domestic infant – a healthy baby born in the United States
Katia, one of the Ellingson’s two cats, checking out the legos and sun.
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com22
www.dragonflybooks.com563-382-4275 • 112 West Water Street, Decorah
Knowledgeable staff • Great Gifts • Book Signings
Bestsellers plus special interest: gardening, Scandinavian, cooking, poetry, children’s books & more…even e-books!
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– because international adoption is sometimes difficult for gay couples. We both belong to extended, loving families; grasp what real ‘family life’ will look like; and would, we believe, provide a really stable, loving home. We will love whatever child comes our way.”
The couple legally tied the knot at Dunning’s Springs Park in Decorah just a month after the state of Iowa legalized gay marriage in 2009, and relocated to Decorah in 2011. Now, more than two years later, they’re ready to bring home their first child.
They were, unfortunately, not able to continue on with LSSM once they moved out of the state – the agency works only with Minnesota residents – and LSSM’s sister organization in Iowa (LSSI) does not currently offer open-adoption services for infants.
DecorahDads.com is their way of finding the type of adoption they support while also providing a home to a baby who needs one. In addition to offering a glimpse into their adoption journey, the website contains a blog and basic biographic information about both Andrew and Eric – where each was raised, how many siblings they have, where they work – along with more fun details that provide greater insight into these dads-in-waiting. (Yes, Eric is a self-described “LEGO-lover” – with an entire room devoted to his LEGO collection – and Andrew, a voracious reader, loves novels like A Game of Thrones and just finished a nine-volume set of books in a little over a week’s time.)
It also extols the family-friendly virtues of Decorah, a small town boasting a top-notch school system, a much-admired “Main Street” (well, Water Street, in fact) thriving with a healthy mix of businesses, and, of course, renowned natural beauty combining river and bluff.
What else do Eric and Andrew hope that readers glean from their website?
“We want people to grasp our desire to open our home and hearts to an infant in need of both,” says Andrew. “We are blessed to have an amazing and extremely supportive family and hope that someday soon our entire support network will be able to celebrate with us as we welcome a wee one into our life.”
To contact Eric and Andrew – or learn more about them – visit www.decorahdads.com.
Sara Friedl-Putnam struggled with infertility issues for years before she and her husband, Dale, joyously welcomed their daughter, Maddie, in March 2002. They wish Andrew and Eric only the best of luck as they seek to grow their family.
May
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prin
g b
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ly!
step-by-step instructions at
theinspiredmedia.com!
Super fly paper airplane!
Paper Project!
What We’re
Lovingright now
Winneshiek
HISTO
RIC
Book online or call now for great spring getaway rates! • hotelwinn.com • 104 E. Water St. Decorah, IA • 1.800.998.4164
Make yourself at home.Have a seat!
Tap Room Open
Daily at 4
OpEN DECORAh COWORkINgA good handful of folks in Decorah – and the surrounding
region, for that matter, work from home these days (ourselves included!).
Some (well maybe just one guy) call us lone eagles, and it’s true – it can be a lonely reality. Yes, working in pajamas can be a perk…but also a curse! Never fear: Open Decorah
is here! This new co-working venture recently opened its
doors (24/7), and the potential is ripe. Coworking is a style of work
that involves a shared work environment, even though
the workers are generally employed by different companies, or self-employed. Open Decorah is a place were freelancers, entrepreneurs, telecommuters, and drop-ins work side-by-side. 1 day pass: $15. 10 day passes: $90 (valid for 60 days). Monthly membership: $100 (with added perks – more info at opendecorah.com)
TOpplINg gOlIAThWe’re pretty sure we’ve mentioned that we love beer. In case we haven’t, well…we love beer. And so we’re constantly telling each other (and everyone else) how lucky Decorah – and the country, really – is to have Toppling Goliath here. Ratebeer.com has three of Toppling Goliath’s beers – Kentucky Brunch, Morning Delight, and Pseudo Sue – listed in their top 100 in the world! And we couldn’t agree more. We here at Inspire(d) have had delicious beer from many places and many top-rated breweries, and TG is consistently our number one pick. An Inspire(d) favorite is Golden Nugget. Yum. Growlers are available for filling at their Tap Room on College Drive, and they just started bottling, so all you Others are in luck! Try it. You’ll thank us some day every day. www.tgbrews.com
opendecorah
coworking community
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 25
For all your printing and promotional needs
contact Steve Sokolik800.658.9032 ext. 5079
www.crescentprinting.comwww.cpcpromotions.com
Proud Printer of Inspire(d) Magazine
YOUR LOGO HERE
YOUR LOGO HERE
P H Mwww.porterhousemuseum.org
401 W Broadway. Decorah, Iowa • 563-382-8465
ROCKS. BUGS. BEAUTY.Open Fri/Sat/Sun in May
Daily June thru August
Registration required*Learn more at seedsavers.org/events
March 22 Spring Garden
School* & Seed Swap
Seed Savers Exchangeseedsavers.org • 3074 North Winn Road, Decorah, IA • 563-382-5990
April 5 & 12: Apple Grafting
& Tree Care Workshop*
Starting May 3: Rare and Unusual
Plant Sale
Lillian Goldman Visitors Center OPENING MARCH 1
Hours: Mon-Fri 9-5 • Sat & Sun 10-5 Seeds, Plants, Garden Tools, Books, Gifts, and more
DRAgONflY BOOkS & kOBO E-READERS/AppSOn-screen readers rejoice! You can now enjoy the convenience of those instant-gratification e-books while also supporting your local bookshop! We love that Dragonfly Books works with Kobo e-readers (and the Kobo apps) so you can keep your dollars in the community while embracing your on-the-go-technological
life (not that there isn’t immense beauty in the printed book, or, ahem, magazine). Check it out, and if you’re not a Decorah-tion, see if your local bookstore does something similar! dragonflybooks.com
COMMUNITY YOgAWe love that there are so many yoga opportunities popping up around Decorah, but if you’re thinking you don’t have time to commit to an entire session (that’s usually about six-eight weeks of classes paid for up-front), you can check out Community Yoga at The Yoga Studio. Thea Satrom teaches the $6, drop-in Iyengar-style class every Tuesday afternoon from 4 to 5:30 pm. Any level yogi is welcome – from total beginner to the been-around-the-tadasana-type.
YAh SURE YOU BETChA ShOppEOur friend Robin Bartell owns this great little Shoppe in Spring Grove, Minnesota (a great little town!), and has just moved into a new location on Main Street (118 East Main) with even more space for her cool designs and wares – from Naughty Nisse t-shirts to Spring Grove mugs to tasty chocolates to Doug and Melissa Toys…we could go on and on. Check it –
and the amazingly happening Spring Grove – out next time you’re driving through. (And yes, that means the construction is done – you can drive through Spring Grove again!) www.facebook.com/YouBetchaShoppe
DRIfTlESS STICkERSThe folks at Viroqua Creative Workshop are making our favorite Driftless Region stickers these days – for your bumpers or computers or notebooks or whatever! We love the classic “Driftless” one, but also “Kickapoof-da,” and the most recent “supercouleedriftlessfoodieocoochomnivorous”. Check them out at viroquacreative.com.
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com26
See Dean Schwarz’s exhibit “Marvin Cone on My Mind,” opening this spring at the Cedar Rapids
Museum of Art. | Photo by Harry Baumert
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 27
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Acquainting one’s self with potter Dean Schwarz isn’t as simple as looking at his finished works, neatly
numbered and named. To get his particular sense of craft-as-life, you really need to hear his narrative: A looping, mingling romp through the history of functional studio pottery – and the life he and his family have built around it.
Spend enough time immersed in creative expression, Dean suggests, and you’ll find that it’s not just the work that remains, but the shape of a whole life and the lives it’s touched. This degree of dedication can also, on occasion, connect the lives of two different artists in different times – such as Dean Schwarz and painter Marvin Cone – without their ever having met.
Cone, a prolific life-long painter, lecturer and community advocate, studied and traveled, first as an interpreter of French in the military in World War I, but his roots were, like Dean’s, always twined in Cedar Rapids, where he was born. In all, Cone spent four decades teaching at Coe College there, founding the art department in the process.
Over the past three and a half years, more than five decades into his own vocation as artist and teacher, Dean has created a distinct series of pots inspired by Marvin Cone’s paintings -- 512 pieces, to be exact.
By Kristine Kopperud Jepsen
RED BARNS AND WhITE ClOUDS ARE NOT AlWAYS STEREOTYpES* An exhibition of life & purpose by artist Dean Schwarz
All story photos by Kristine Jepsen unless otherwise noted.*The title of this article is actually one of the 512 names in Dean’s Marvin Cone series.
(cont. on next page)
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com28
211 West Water StreetDecorah, Iowa
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The exhibition, “Marvin Cone On My Mind: The Ceramics of Dean Schwarz,” pairs many of Cone’s works with Schwarz’s pottery, creating a unique conversation between the two media and the two artists. The exhibit will be housed at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, March 15 through November 2, 2014.
“Growing up in Cedar Rapids, I was aware of Marvin Cone – and his good friend [widely known ‘American Gothic’ painter] Grant Wood – even though I was more into athletics,” Dean says. In retrospect, Dean knew he had been introduced to art growing up, but he never planned to become an artist. Ever the athlete, he went to the University of Northern Iowa – at that time Iowa State Teacher’s College – on a basketball scholarship. It was there that he first got his hands in clay.
“I was required to take a class called ‘Man and Materials’ in college. And voila! To my great surprise, I found the same excitement in using my hands to make pottery as moving a basketball on the court,” he says.
He also met another love in college – his wife, Geraldine (Gerry). After earning a masters degree, finishing his navy stint and teaching one year in Independence, Iowa, Dean spent his first of three summers at pond farm in California. He was about to embark on an influential alliance with mentor and master potter Marguerite Wildenhain, utilizing the functional artistry embraced by her masters’ school, the Bauhaus of Weimar, Germany. Following Wildenhain’s example, the Schwarzes – with fellow Luther College professor and Decorah art-gallery owner Doug Eckheart – established South Bear School in the summer of 1970. In the tiny hamlet of Highlandville, Iowa, on the banks of South Bear Creek, a 14-room former hospital became the first home for South Bear’s master classes, apprenticeship program, and momentous community in pottery and other arts.
After six summers, the art outgrew the space, and South Bear School was moved – with the infusion of new collaborators, the John Nellermoe family – to the former
Aase Haugen retirement home, a 65-room facility on a dead-end drive in a wooded valley southwest of Decorah.
The school followed the European Bauhaus model of apprenticeship, in which children serve as craft apprentices from ages 12 to 18. The Schwarzes raised their six children – Bill, Gunnar, Lane, Jason, Sheela, and Nan – at South Bear, and each was required to study pottery – or another functional art – each summer with the older students enrolled.
“That’s just what we did,” says Gunnar, who threw many of the medium and large (up to 40-inch) pots in the CRMA exhibition – saving Dean’s ailing back. Gunnar and Lane have been making a living in the studio, adjacent to their dad’s, since the mid ‘80s, and all the Schwarz siblings are ‘proficient’ in pottery, as Gerry says, whether they profit from it professionally or not.
The work ethic and immersion experience seem to have gotten into the Schwarz DNA. Daughter Nan studied art on scholarship at the University of Iowa
Photo by Harry Baumert
Schwarz family photo - circa 1972 - by Joan Liffring Zug-Bourret.
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with interest in photography, and her work appears throughout South Bear School. Today, she performs acupuncture and Chinese medicine through her private practice, Nanarita, in Seattle, and says artistic value plays into her everyday activities. “It feels like everything I know about artistic flow, movement, and consideration weighs in on any diagnostic evaluations I make when considering a patient,” she writes via e-mail. “Form and function should be recognized in every aspect of your life. And there is nothing more functional than the human form.”
Similarly, son Jason did some of his childhood apprenticeship in fiber arts and is now the editorial associate of South Bear Press (southbearpress.org), a publishing company begun by Dean and Gerry as a vehicle for their research. He threw a series of bowls for a friend’s wedding reception, and though the intent was for guests to take them home, they turned out so beautifully that the bride and groom kept most of them. Daughter Sheena is the owner/director of Squirrel’s End Gallery in Iowa City, specializing in ancient Chinese artifacts, vintage decor, jade jewelry, and American pottery, paintings, and prints. Finally, son Bill teaches and is head coach of boys cross-country and track and field at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids.
“It’s a pretty neat collaboration,” Gunnar says of working side-by-side with his dad, in his childhood home, this nexus of familial interests. He bikes to work in the summer, and cross-country skis out in winter. “There was a time when working there was more of a mentorship, but we’ve always been encouraged to grow into our own expression. So, sometimes Dad will tell me about something he wants, if it’s a specific form, but most of the time it’s more like, ‘What do you want to do right now?’”
Years became decades of near-daily work in the studio, resulting in vast collections of pieces. In storage in the basement, on shelves floor-to-ceiling, this body of work is formidable as a library — but all upside down. “We store them that way to keep the bats out,” Dean explains, only half joking. “Otherwise, Gerry has to get in here with her terrific sniffer and ferret out the casualties.”
To their mutual credit and amusement, Dean and Gerry orbit each other comfortably, fact-checking each other and adding details the other skipped. They are lively bookends, as Gerry tries to keep Dean on task (such as eating lunch while it’s actually hot) and Dean pauses in his steady narrative to pull a date or name from Gerry’s encyclopedic memory.
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com30
250 artists. 7 days a week.
1 gallery.
Since he stopped traveling to and selling at art fairs nearly a decade ago, Dean has settled into a creative hermitage at South Bear, preferring to keep the studio and apartment at 50-odd degrees in winter and wearing, almost without exception, a pair of singular blue insulated coveralls. (He still plays competitive tennis each week with former colleagues at Luther – but also in blue coveralls, cut off at the shins.) Gerry, on the other hand, stays on her family’s farm near Mason City during the week while teaching writing and literature at North Iowa Area Community College and travels home on weekends.
“She has a special relationship with the thermostat around here,” Dean says mischievously. “When she’s home, it’s suddenly jumped to 65!”
But beneath their banter, the Schwarzes take seriously the honest, earnest creative work that fills their days, not to mention the business of documenting it. Together they have authored and published several respected books through South Bear Press.
Each title is carefully researched with first-hand access to the artists, locations, artifacts, and artistic subject matter at hand, incorporating such experiences as the family’s time spent in South Korea, where Dean studied and taught ceramics as a Fulbright-Hays Research Fellow, and in Israel, where he was an on-site restorer of pottery on an archaeological dig. Dean also visited Japan, where he studied traditional pottery, and he made several trips to Panama, where he researched Pre-Columbian pots. Their 770-page compilation Marguerite Wildenhain and the Bauhaus:
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 31
2013-14 season details at www.luther.edu/theatreTheatre & Dance
2013-14 season
TICKETS @ LUTHER COLLEGE BOX OFFICE 563.387.1357 & 1 HOUR BEFORE SHOWS • $10. ADULT / $5. CHILDREN UNDER 12 JEWEL THEATRE, CENTER FOR THE ARTS • DECORAH, IOWA
Proof by David Auburn, directed by Jeff DintamanOctober 3 @ 7:30 • Oct 4 @ 9:30 • Oct 5 @ 1:30 and 7:30
Cabaret, directed by Bobby Vrtis & Jane Hawley music by John Kander & lyrics by Fred EbbNovember 15, 21, & 22 @ 7:30 • Nov 16 @ 9:30 • Nov 23 @ 1:30 & 7:30
La Dispute by Marivaux, Adapted by Bobby Vrtis and studentsMarch 12 & 13 @ 7:30 • March 14 @ 9:30 • March 15 @ 1:30 & 7:30
Highway 57, An original dance work by Blake NellisMay 2, 3, 8, & 9 @ 7:30 • May 10 @ 1:30
Fall
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An Eyewitness Anthology, weaves together essays, memoirs, diaries, letters, interviews and other written documents by or about Bauhaus or crafts-related professionals. The project took them more than a decade.
“It makes perfect sense to me that my parents would eventually go into publishing, as they are both storytellers and believe in passing on the traditions that make them/us what we are,” Nan writes via e-mail.
photo by Nan Schwarz
A trip to South Bear will present many visual delights – from beautiful pots (stored upside down to keep the bats out!) to casual collections of memories pocketed throughout the house. The white porcelain cup at the top right was designed by Dean’s mentor Marguerite Wilden-hain for use on airlines. The rim prevents it from spilling in flight. The welding mask at the far left brings to mind Dean’s father, and lunch was served up in bowls made by son Jason and plates made by Franz Wildenhein, husband of Marguerite Wildenhein.
(Cont. on next page)
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com32
Summer Hours (Apr-Oct)Monday-Saturday 8:00 am - 8:30 pmSunday 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Winter Hours (Nov-Mar)Monday-Saturday 8:00 am - 8:00 pmSunday 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
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Gerry notes that with such creative longevity, subjects and interests have a way of cycling back into their lives, inspiring new bodies of work. “You don’t really know you’re in a series until you’re in it,” Gerry explains, “and then there it is, all its own.”
Dean’s Cone series ranges from two-inch-tall ‘mini’ pots thrown by Lane, to pots so tall and heavy that Gunnar and Dean had to work together just to lever and strap them safely into the kiln.
“When I got into Marvin Cone’s collections, I saw that he spent time with some of the subject matter – rural landscapes, elements of architecture – that I had been after, too,” says Dean, who, in the ‘70s, made a practice of hoisting himself – canvas and materials in tow – up any limestone outcropping to get some perspective on Northeast Iowa’s landscape. The mill stands tall over here. Expansive barns with hay lofts there. “As a person and an artist, Cone was ‘quiet,’ I think, but he was a great observer and brought out what he ‘saw’ when he looked at a bend in a river, or a homesteader’s barn. He seemed to get what was ‘going away’ and what would be lost with it. Most of all, his work was a love of place and spirit.”
Dean, now in his mid 70s, is keen to the precariousness of productivity. “The most difficult thing for me is that I cannot work harder, share more spirit, and develop new ways to live and love,” he says.
But, in reality, he’s still no slouch at celebrating and remixing the eclectic successes of his many friends, family, former students, and colleagues the world over. In his studio, he’s surrounded by totems – collages of artifacts, assembled like complex personas.
“That’s my dad’s welding mask,” he says, pointing to the wall above a bench of pots-in-progress. It’s mounted atop a canvas stunt suit – or straight jacket? – that, fyi, once belonged to Houdini-era escape artist and Decorah local Roy Jaegerson. “Both my parents were welders, actually,” he continues. “My dad was once told that his were the only seams in the construction of the Duane Arnold [atomic] Energy Center, near Cedar Rapids, that had no bubbles in them. He was quite proud of that.”
On another wall, capped by a Panamanian sun hat, hangs a tweed duffle coat wrapped in cotton fishing net and bobbers Dean painted himself. In front hangs a walking stick carved by a former student; at the head, a tin dish Gerry once used panning for gold on a short stint in Alaska. “I’ll never get over the thrill of seeing or hearing or feeling something and remembering where you were
when you first encountered it,” Dean says. “We have so much to learn from where we’ve been.”
After a few beats, his thoughts turn back in the direction of the exhibition and the buzz it’s generating among former colleagues and students, many of whom haven’t seen him since he largely retired from lecturing and art fairs. “I’ll be really happy if people think [CRMA] is a good place to show this series, seeing it in direct relation to Cone’s paintings,” he continues. “That’s what I want.”
The exhibit commands two of the museum’s 16 galleries and involves nearly 100 of Dean’s pots, displayed in cases, with Cone’s paintings arranged on walls. The pairings were selected by CRMA interim director Sean Ulmer.
“Dean’s interaction with Cone’s work isn’t replication,” he explains, “as though he could take a Cone painting and wrap it around a pot. In some cases, the relationship is a familiar form – a barn or silo or field. Sometimes, the title of Dean’s piece references one of Cone’s lectures at Coe. Or, it might be an archetype – a portrait of an older man – that shows up in both works. To me, Dean is referencing Cone as teacher, as friend to Grant Wood, as a man in the community, Cone the artist. And, the show also contains works that are outgrowths, not related to Cone – where you can see a transmutation, where Dean is now a step away, or two steps away.”
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Dean himself, however, seems never to have been far away at all, despite his pots and acclaim having reached galleries and collections all over the world.
“When my mother had died, and my father was dying, I would visit Cedar Rapids, and every time I drove away, about 20 minutes down the road, a profound depression would wash over me, knowing that their end meant I wouldn’t be ‘going back,’” he says. “This exhibition feels like coming home. I’m quite honored to do it.”
Jepsen loved being immersed in the Schwarz’s world of functional studio pottery while writing this story. And she’ll be over the moon if she can produce anywhere near 512 related articles, essays, and other written works in her own career. When not tap-tapping at a keyboard for magazines
and the Web, she works with Grass Run Farms, a grass-fed beef company she owns and manages with her husband. RElATED BOOkS: The Boy and the Old Dam – By Dean Schwarz. Memories of an eight-year boy living in the heart of Cedar Rapids. Available In 2014.
Also available in 2014, a biography of Dean Schwarz written by South Bear School student and professional potter Brent Johnson. OThER BOOkS: Marguerite Wildenhain and the Bauhaus: An Eyewitness Anthology ISBN 978-0-9761381-2-9, and Centering Bauhaus Clay: A Potter’s Perspective, ISBN 978-0-9761381-5-0, both edited by Dean and Geraldine Schwarz, (Decorah, Iowa: South Bear Press, 2007).
COllECTIONS:Schwarz’s ceramics are owned by private collectors,
museums and universities throughout the world, including, the Museum of Art and Culture (Wu Han, Hubei, China), University of Nottingham (Nottingham, England), Collection of King Olaf (Oslo, Norway), Pottery Museum (Mikawachi, Japan), Burg Giebichenstein (Halle, Germany) and the White House Collection (Washington, D.C.).
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com34
Spend your special day in a casual, elegant setting overlooking the Oneota Valley and the Upper Iowa River. Enjoy the Amish-built post
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Fancy and school lunches aren’t two words we would normally put together. But after visiting Decorah High School’s kitchen, we can’t help but say it: They’re making
some fancy school lunches! And breakfasts too! Of course, Chef Chad Elliott, Culinary Specialist at Decorah schools, would make nothing but wonderful food. A guy who plants seven acres of asparagus, builds his own brick oven, and tends an orchard of apples definitely knows his way around a kitchen.
Lucky students get to enjoy the two decades of restaurant and kitchen experience Elliott brings – literally – to the table. The state-of-the-art facilities at Decorah High School utilize on-site gardens, local producers, and top-notch ingredients. They even make their own bread daily! We never thought we’d be jealous of lunches served up in a high school, but, well…we are! It’s a win-win for the students and the chef – Elliott calls his work at Decorah Schools a “dream job” and he surely brings that passion to his food each day.
Name: Chad ElliottAge: 38Kitchen: Presently at the Decorah High School, but will be
focusing on the Decorah Middle School in the later part of the second semester.
Number of Years Cooking: 20 years
CH
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ChAD EllIOTTDECORAh SChOOlSCUlINARY SpECIAlISTIntroduction by Aryn Henning Nichols
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In back: Great selection of antiques – furniture, porch beams, trunks. In front: Featuring Baggallini, Smart Wool, and much more!
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Formal training or live-and-learn?I completed the restaurant
management program at DMACC in Ankeny, Iowa. The campus has a state of the art culinary arts facility and amazing staff. While there, I gained the fundamental knowledge needed to cook in a professional kitchen. Since then I have learned how to put those basic skills to work when working with and for some amazing chefs and cooks over the last 20 years.
What’s your earliest or most significant memory of cooking or being cooked for?
I have so many fond memories of growing up with food that it is hard to choose just one. In the movie Ratatouille, do you remember when the food critic Ego tasted Remy’s ratatouille? Well, I have these flashes of memories from different tastes and smells of my past. I think of my mom when I open an oven full of apple-crisp, my grandma when I am canning tomatoes or my grandpa when eating a piece of crusty garlic bread. My dad makes amazing pie, so of course any pastry or pie smells wafting through the air makes me think of him.
Food has always played a huge role in my life. I love everything
about it and if you know me, you know I love to eat! I also really love smelling, cooking, canning, serving, tasting, growing, and always learning more about food.
Why did you decide to become a chef?I was unsure of what I wanted to go to school
for and I loved cooking, so I went to culinary school. Honestly, if I did it all over again I am not sure I would have chosen this as a profession. Years of long hours on evenings, weekends, and holidays can take a toll on even the most fanatic chef. After saying that, I will say that I was incredibly lucky to get a job here at the school. It is absolutely a dream job and I love working with the kids. It is so great to be back in the kitchen!
What’s the best thing you’ve ever made?I have made many things that turned out well,
but I am going to twist this question into what I have had the most fun making – breads and pizzas in our wood-fired oven, and fermented Tuscan salami and Soppresatta cured for months in our root cellar. I also enjoyed roasting a whole pig that was glazed with apple butter for the Fourth of July.
Do you have any monumental food fails you’d like to share with us?
I bet I have tried to make fresh mozzarella with grocery store milk
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014
20 times and have failed miserably…but was finally able to get it to work with some local raw milk.
How about secret food indulgences you don’t normally talk about? Will you tell us?
Taco sauce (Happy Joe’s is the best!). Some people say I have a problem…
What’s your favorite:Ingredient: I could not live without flour, which makes the
wonderful breads that I love so much. I built a wood-fired brick oven last summer and intend on doing some serious bread baking in the future.
Dish: Does Thanksgiving dinner count as a dish? My dad’s turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy is hands-down my favorite meal!
Cookbook: I have hundreds of cookbooks but my favorite has to be my grandma Hanlon’s cookbook. My grandma was an amazing cook! When she passed away my aunt went through all of her recipe cards, recipe books, scraps of paper and magazine clippings and made a book with photos of some of our most memorable feasts at the Hanlon get togethers. She put together cookbooks of all of Grandma’s favorites for each member of the family.
Random (or not so random) kitchen tool: An apple peeler/slicer. I think I was speechless the first time I used one…such a time saver!
Vegetable: Asparagus!! I planted over half an acre seven years ago. We grill it, boil it, pickle it, and sell some too!
Fruit: I love apples. We have over 12 varieties of apples in our orchard.
NEW AT DhS: VIkINg CAfé!While it’s not Chef Chad Elliott’s food, it’s pretty cool that DHS
teacher Elaine Lore’s Foods 2 class is running the Viking Café, a restaurant-style classroom that serves lunch to the public from 11:30 am to 1 pm several days each month. Just opened in February, Viking Café will be serving up down-home dishes featuring a main, side, and dessert. Nothing from a can makes its way to the plates here! Students handle everything from prep to clean-up. Cost is $5 and reservations are required (call 563-382-3643). The café seats between 20 and 25 people, and there is direct access to the Café from the faculty parking lot next to the building on the east side of the high school.
Spring dates will be announced soon. 37
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any of you know the story: the one about the caterpillar that’s hungry. Very hungry. he eats and eats and eats. And he is STIll hungry. And then he becomes a butterfly! (Sigh. If only that would happen to humans…)
But hOW does that chubby little guy turn into a beautiful butterfly?
BUTTERflIES (& other holometabolic insects…)
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Pho
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Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com40
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let’s learn! There are four stages of a butterfly’s life: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. (1)
In the first stage, the mama butterfly lays a very small, round or oval egg (appearance depends on the type of butterfly). She picks a very specific leaf that she knows her little babe will eat once it’s hatched a few days later. If you look closely enough at the egg, you might even be able to see the tiny caterpillar growing inside! (1)
Once hatched, the egg has progressed to stage two: the caterpillar, or larva. This is the part where the gluttony begins (although, unlike the book, caterpillars don’t generally eat pickles and salami and ice cream…). The caterpillar behaves like a free-living, eating, growing-but-developmentally repressed embryo. (2)
During the few days or weeks that it is active, it will devour its favorite plant to the tune of its own weight many times over. (2) They stuff their faces so they can grow quickly. And grow they do! Their exoskeleton (skin) doesn’t stretch or grow though, so they “molt” (shedding the outgrown skin) several times during this stage. (1)
Once the caterpillar has reached critical mass, it’s ready to move on to stage three: The pupa or chrysalis. That hungry caterpillar finally gets full, and finds a comfy place to molt into a shiny chrysalis. That’s where the magic happens. Within its protective casing, the caterpillar radically transforms its body. But be prepared – magic isn’t always pretty!
First, the caterpillar digests itself, releasing enzymes to dissolve all of its tissues. It basically becomes a nutrient-rich soup, feeding the imaginal discs. These highly organized groups of cells survive the digestive process – they’ve been a part of the caterpillar it’s entire life. Before hatching, when a caterpillar is still developing inside its egg, it grows an imaginal disc for each of the adult body parts it will need – discs for its eyes, wings, legs, and so on. In some species, these imaginal discs are dormant; in other species, the discs begin to take the shape of adult body parts before the caterpillar forms a chrysalis – some caterpillars walk around with tiny rudimentary wings tucked inside their bodies. Inside the chrysalis, once all of the tissues are digested, those discs use the protein-rich “soup” to fuel the rapid cell division required to form the butterfly body parts. One disc could begin with only 50 cells and increase to more than 50,000 cells by the end of metamorphosis. (3)
This type of metamophosis is called holometaboly – a full change – and is the complete – and often dramatic – change from a worm-like larva to a large-winged adult. It’s a highly sophisticated chemical suppression of developmental processes. Though only 9 of 26 insect orders are holometabolic, this accounts for 80 percent of all insects (butterflies, beetles, moths, flies, bees, wasps and ants are majority stakeholders). (2)
Once metamorphosis is complete, the caterpillar is ready to emerge in its final, adult stage: the butterfly. When it first comes out, both wings are soft and folded against its body. It rests a bit, then pumps blood into the wings in order to get them working and flapping. They’re ready to fly just a few short hours after cracking out of the chrysalis and head off in search of a mate in order to continue the cycle!
Aryn Henning Nichols repeatedly said, “Whoa” while writing this Science, You’re Super. Butterflies! They’re crazy amazing!
1. http://www.thebutterflysite.com/life-cycle.shtml2. http://www.discoverwildlife.com/british-wildlife/how-does-caterpillar-turn-butterfly3. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/caterpillar-butterfly-metamorphosis-explainer/
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theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 41
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Walking through a park in Decorah, Iowa – or anywhere in the region, really – you might notice all the pretty flowers,
the outcropping of limestone, maybe an algific slope* if you’re lucky.It’s like the enchanted forest up in here, am I right? But, like the
enchanted forest, not everything is as it seems. There are villains near, perhaps right underfoot… literally.
hElp SAVE ThE WIlDflOWERS(& TREES & pARkS & EVERYThINg!)
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Pho
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by E
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Mac
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Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com42
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The villains we’re talking about are invasive plant species – specifically garlic mustard, buckthorn, and honeysuckle – the “Big Three”, dubbed so by the Friends of the Decorah Parks.
Founded in 2012 in response to threat posed by invasive garlic mustard, the committee is staffed with local biologists and volunteers alike.
The term invasive species applies to an introduced species, usually non-native, that harms the habitats they invade. They tend to dominate a region through lack of natural predators, crowding out flowers, new trees, and all other plant life.
Garlic mustard was first seen near Decorah in late 1990s – folks in the Decorah area have been hard at work at it since, led by Friends of Decorah Parks’ Beth Lynch, Eric Baack, and Mary Lewis. Lewis has been working at Palisades Park in Decorah since 2000, and has eradicated garlic mustard from many areas there.
“There are lots of ways to kill garlic mustard,” Lewis says. “Weeding, hoeing, spraying with roundup, burning, weed torching, but whatever way you do it the most important thing is to keep at it. It’s like weeding a garden. You don’t just weed it once, you have to go back to see what you missed or what germinated since you last weeded. And don’t let them go to seed because those seeds can last for years in the soil.”
Lynch has worked in all of the other Decorah parks since moving to Decorah in 2001. Baack has worked on controlling invasives in the Ridge Road neighborhood where he lives. Baack and Lynch have also taken on the responsibility of controlling a large patch of garlic mustard at Malanaphy Springs State Preserve, about five miles north of Decorah.
Although Friends of Decorah Parks is currently focusing on garlic mustard, the “Big Three” pose problems to habitats across our region (and across the country too). Learn how to spot them (so you can avoid spreading their seeds – this is perhaps the most important of all!) and, if you’re interested, join in the effort to take down these villains!
ADOpT A DECORAh pARkS gARlIC MUSTARD plOT
First, contact Friends of Decorah Parks – email Ellen Macdonald at [email protected]. Depending on the size of your group (it can even just be you!), they’ll assign you a plot to maintain. The big “push for the pull” is when the snow has melted and the ground softened – generally mid-March to mid-April.
You’ll receive training on how to spot, flag, remove, and dispose of the pulled garlic mustard, but here are some tips from Lewis to get you started:
Work at the edge of an infestation, and look well beyond it to get small areas that have spread from it. That way you can protect a whole new area from infestation. Early in spring it is a low lying plant called a rosette. This is the best time to weed it, by pulling it up by the roots. It sends up a stalk mid to late April, and at this stage the plant must be bagged, or it will produce seeds, up to thousands per plant, even lying on the ground with roots in the air. Even with the slightest hint of a flower, when the stalk is just beginning to grow, they need to be bagged and kept for several weeks before throwing away.
Watch Decorah media outlets for volunteer opportunities for garlic mustard pulling, or check your community for other local efforts.
And even if you don’t want to adopt a plot or volunteer at a larger “pull”, you can do your part by trying to avoid spreading the seeds – anyone can help by following the motto “come clean, leave clean.”
Pho
to b
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Mac
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theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 43
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TACklE ThE INVASIVES: lEARN MORE ABOUT ThE BIg ThREE
CONTROl: Pull seedlings in small infestations when soil is moist. For larger bushes, cut down to stump and attempt to remove roots.
gARlIC MUSTARD: Garlic mustard was introduced in North America as a culinary herb in the 1860s and is an invasive species in much of North America. The insects and fungi that feed on it in its native habitat are not present in North America, increasing its seed productivity and allowing it to out-compete native plants. It’s a low-lying “rosette” in the spring that
looks like creeping charlie but smells like garlic when crushed (this is the time to pull). Mid-to-late April, it develops a stalk along with small white flowers and pointy leaves.
EUROpEAN BUCkThORN: European buckthorn was first brought to the region in the mid-1800s as a very popular hedging material. The nursery industry stopped selling it in the 1930s, but it continues to out-compete native plants for nutrients, light, and moisture. It has sharp, spike-like thorns at the tips of twig and
clusters of round, shiny, black, berry-like fruits,
CONTROl:Pull in spring – generally mid-March to mid-April. (Learn about proper pulling technique from Friends of Decorah Parks. Unless trained, do not pull after it’s flowered to avoid additional spreading of seeds. )
CONTROl: Small plants may be hand pulled. Larger plants can be dug or pulled using a leverage tool such as a weed wrench. Girdling trees (after training) requires stripping the bark to expose the inner hardwood at a minimum of six inches.
hONEYSUCklE:Exotic honeysuckle replaces native forest shrubs and plants. They shade out ground cover and deplete soil moisture. Easy to identify in the fall because of its bright red berries, which are readily dispersed by birds. The leaves are opposite one another on the stem, and the stems are hollow.
INhf gARlIC MUSTARD pUll join Iowa Natural heritage foundation in Northeast Iowa on May 3 for their “Into the Wild’ garlic mustard pull. All ages welcom. Coffee/lunch provided. www.inhf.org/volunteer.cfm gET MORE DETAIlS ABOUT INVASIVE plANT SpECIES IN: IOWA: www.iowadnr.gov/Environment/forestry/foresthealth/Invasiveplants.aspx WISCONSIN: dnr.wi.gov/topic/invasives/ MINNESOTA: www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/terrestrial/index.html
Watch this great video on how to identify and control garlic mustard www.vimeo.com/2855779
* WhAT’S AN AlgIfIC SlOpE? Read the Science, You’re Super from Inspire(d) Spring 2012 at theinspiredmedia.cominfo
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com44
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theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 45
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Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com46
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The grips of winter are behind us! Let’s party! Church lutefisk and school chili suppers are so last season (literally) – but spring is the perfect time to invite friends over for a noon get-
together of food and drink – maybe even outdoors!Middle of the day parties can be highly uplifting and delightful. The
great thing is that they can be so diversified – eggs mingle on the menu with pork loin. Coffee is served alongside cocktails. We tend to say if it’s after eight and before noon, it’s brunch! The rest is up to you, and the possibilities are endless!
We belonged to a group of five couples that used to get together every six weeks or so to have food and camaraderie. The hosts of the event would make the main dish and everyone else was assigned a side dish. Usually, there was a theme to work around. Everybody would dress up accordingly and group pictures were always on the agenda. I decided to shake it up a little and do a noon brunch.
We decided to go with a Hawaiian theme – a somewhat traditional luau. And I did what any shanty Irishman would do: Armed with a mere shovel, I proceeded to the backyard and promptly dug a hole. Well, actually a pit: A firepit. It just so happened that I had a partial hog grate on hand so I dug the pit so the grate could lie on top. Next step was to procure a hog. Actually, a suckling pig. Fifty pounds of pure pork.
Since banana leaves were nowhere to be found, I decided to buck tradition and cover the pig with a heavy-duty canvas tarp. On the day of the big hoopla, I was up at 6 am, filling the pit with charcoal and split hardwood firewood. In a couple of hours, we had a great pile of hot coals and it was time to let the games begin. After placing the grate over the coals, I laid the pig on top and covered
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 47
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it with a piece of canvas heavily soaked in water. Six hours later, our guests arrived and the party commenced. Things got off to a good start. A round of mojitos were in order, accompanied by an appetizer consisting of quartered red and yellow peppers topped with herbed creamed cheese and grilled chicken breast. Yummy! Next we dined on a mandarin orange and almond salad. The main course was, of course, loads of tender melt in your mouth pork, served with red potato salad and gingered carrots. Everyone was drooling. Seeing that this was a Hawaiian theme, what better finish than a pineapple upside down cake? Oh boy! A few Mai Tais were passed around and we were good to go. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Most brunches that I have attended or been involved with, though, have at least some sort of egg component. So I decided for this diatribe I would focus on three different dishes that all use eggs but are totally different from each other. That is the beauty of brunch. I started out with a new salad that I recently created for our restaurant. We call it the Dolce Vita.
As a base, I am using a lettuce called charita, suggested to me by a local family we work with from West Union who are year-round growers of lettuce and herbs. They know what they are talking about. It is tender, sweet, and melts in your mouth.
However, if that is not available, a spring mix of lettuce would be totally acceptable. I then added one sliced hard-boiled egg per salad. Ok, ok. I will give you the secret to perfect-every-time hard-boiled eggs. Rule of thumb, the older the egg the easier it is to peel. That being said, cover your eggs in water by an inch and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute and remove from heat. Let sit for exactly twelve minutes. Then drain and run cold water over in your sink until eggs are cool. Works all of the time for me, anyway. Back to the salad. I then added some chopped bacon, onion, pecans, and avocado. Topped with an orange balsamic and ginger vinaigrette and some grated parmesan, it’s a meal in itself.
Next, I have a simple recipe for potato latkes. Traditionally, they are served in the Jewish culture for Hanukkah. They are simply a hash brown and onion that is fried and then topped with sour cream and chives. You are going to love it.
Finally, I’m including a recipe for a great French toast. Brenda and I spent a wonderful week camping at Cape Cod with friends a few years ago. On our way back, we stopped for breakfast at a small café. Brenda ordered a dish called French Kiss. “OMG Jim” she cried, “You just have to taste this!” It basically was French toast
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com48
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stuffed with cream cheese and strawberries. I’ve done an Irish interpretation and included it for you. We had an “Inspire(d)” brunch the other day. Aryn, Benji, and foxy Roxie were in attendance, along with James Ronan, Brenda, myself, Fawn and our lovely granddaughter, Stella. I served the following recipes and everyone was delighted. Brunch is a wonderful activity to involve your friends with. There is just a myriad of possibilities to put together. So get out there and enjoy!
Jim McCaffrey is a chef, author, and co-owner with his family of McCaffrey’s Dolce Vita restaurant and Twin Springs Bakery just outside Decorah. He is author of humorous cookbooks “Midwest Cornfusion” and “Mississippi Mirth”. He has been in the food industry in one way or another for more than 40 years.
BRUNCh RECIpES: DOlCE VITA SAlAD (SERVES 4) 12 oz lettuce 8 oz cooked bacon, chopped 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled 2 avocados ½ onion, sliced 24 whole pecans Fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Divide lettuce into four bowls. Add chopped bacon to each. Carefully slice and add one egg to each bowl. Slice each avocado in half the long way. Remove pit. Carefully remove with a tablespoon the avocado meat from the skin and slice. Add to each salad. Place six pecans on each salad. Generously spread vinaigrette on each salad (recipe follows). Sprinkle with fresh Parmesan. ORANgE BAlSAMIC gINgER VINAIgRETTE 4 Tbl onion, minced 2 Tbl Garlic 4 Tbl brown sugar6 Tbl orange juice2 Tbl ginger, minced fine5 Tbl white balsamic vinegar 3 Tbl coarse grainy mustard5/8 cup extra virgin olive oil1/2 tsp salt(Cont. on next page)
theinspiredmedia.com \ Spring 2014 49
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(Cont. from previous page)Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor or blender. Blend together. With the machine running, slowly add olive oil. If you can’t find white balsamic vinegar, substitute regular balsamic wine vinegar. pOTATO lATkES 2 cups uncooked hash browns 1 Tbl grated onion 1 egg, beaten 2 Tbl flour 1 ½ tsp salt½ cup peanut oilSour cream Handful of chives, chopped small Place potatoes in a strainer. With a paper towel press as much moisture out as possible. Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet until hot. Use a large spoon to scoop hash browns and form four patties in skillet. Press down to 1/4 inch. Brown one side, and then the other. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot and cover tops with sour cream and chives fRENCh kISS8 slices of bread of your choice 3 eggs 1 Tbl sugar 1 tsp vanilla Cream cheese filling: 8 oz softened cream cheese 2 1/2 Tbl cream 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla 8 oz fresh strawberries, sliced and diced Mix cream cheese filling ingredients until smooth. Spread filling on all pieces of bread. Press two slices together to form a sandwich. Repeat. Mix eggs, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Dip sandwiches in egg mixture and fry in butter until both sides are golden brown. Top with your favorite topping. We used real maple syrup. Yum!
Spring 2014/ theinspiredmedia.com
This type of interview captures remarkable things about the subject but there are still so many things you can’t see or hear that are very much a part of the person’s life and personality. growing up, grandma jenny always had an open door and a lunch for anyone who stopped by. I have treasured memories of sitting at their kitchen table listening to grandma’s morning voice read scripture before we headed off for our days. The buckets of homemade donuts are uncountable and the list of people who would say the same thing is long. Although she isn’t cooking/baking anymore she still has treats in her room to make sure her company is welcome and well fed.
What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?It was something my dad said once, when my sister was so sick. He said “We all have to help”. It always stuck with me. We all have to help when someone has trouble like that.
What is the worst advice anyone gave you?I can’t think of any dirty tricks like that.
What did you want to be when you grew up?I wanted to be a missionary way back when. But that didn’t turn out. I got married. I became a farm housewife. That is a lot work, from morning ‘til night.
If you were stranded on a desert island what three things would you want with you?Some shelter, some food and some family member I guess.
Describe yourself in once sentence?Probably stubborn I guess. They would call me a stubborn Norwegian.
If you could eat only one thing for the rest of your life what would it be?Oh boy, probably something we would have for Christmas like meatballs or lutefisk. (Interviewer interjects: LUTEFISK?) Oh, not lutefisk every day. That would NOT be good.
Tell us about your wedding day.It was the rainiest day of the year I believe. It was in a little country church in Riceford, Minnesota. No lights or anything so we had to use candles in the windows and everybody was worried we were going to burn the church down. But it turned out I guess. We went to Grandpa and Grandma Holty’s for the reception because they didn’t have lights at the church. We celebrated there with a nice supper. I can’t remember what we had but knowing Grandma Holty she made it really good.
Tell us about your first job.I worked in a bakery for quite a few months (in the Twin Cities). I also helped my landlord at our residence while she was at work at the Norwegian Newspaper up there.
What is your favorite memory?Loren brought me a sewing chest with spools of thread and everything in the drawers. It was storming and he carried it from his home all the way to my place. His dad was upset and wouldn’t let him have the car so he had to walk all that distance in deep snow. We found spools of thread later that had fallen out of the chest. Loren was determined to get that chest to me on Christmas Eve and he did too.
50
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genevieve marcella landsom holty - wonderful host & grandmaInterview and introduction by granddaughter janelle (holty) halverson
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